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HORWALDSEN 

AND 


HIS  WORKS, 

CONTAINING 


MS  (SNgtMinijsi,  with  #.xjrlanat0»g  ®c,\t. 


J.  M.  THIELE  OF  COPENHAGEN. 

TRANSLATED  BY 

PROFESSOR  PAUL  C.  SINDING. 


VOLUME  I. 


NEW  YORK: 

PUBLISHED  BY  JOHN  G.  UNNEVEHR. 
1869. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1869,  by 
JOHN  G.  UNNEVEHR, 

In  the  Clerk’s  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the  Southern  District  of  New  York. 


Macdonald  &  Palmer, 

Printers,  744  Broadway,  cor.  Astor  Place,  X.  Y. 


PREFACE 


f!  few  who  become  renowned  on  earth,  have,  for  the  most  part,  some  external 
ircumstances  working  in  their  favor,  without  which,  apparently,  they  would 
nave  been  unknown.  The  French  Revolution,  with  all  its  horrors  and 
atrocities,  had  to  pass  away,  and  the  nation,  drunken  and  reeling  with  its  own  blood, 
was  glad  to  give  away  all  her  liberties  to  Napoleon  Bonaparte ,  provided  he  could 
restrain  her  from  destroying  herself.  It  was  mainly  this  that  made  him.  Washington 
might  have  cultivated  his  farm  and  measured  the  land  of  his  neighbors,  unknown  to 
posterity,  had  not  the  American  Revolution  called  out  his  character  and  reflected  his 
greatness  upon  the  world.  Had  not  the  American  Civil  War  called  out  the  indomit¬ 
able  perseverance  and  military  skill  of  Ulysses  Grant ,  he  would  probably  have  left  the 
world  unnoticed.  While  we  willingly  allow  that  such  men  sagaciously  controlled  and 
guided  the  circumstances  which  surrounded  them,  we  cannot  but  feel  that  it  is  to 
these  circumstances,  in  a  great  degree,  that  they  owe  their  celebrity. 

But  when  a  mind  comes  forth  from  the  deepest  obscurity,  with  every  circumstance 
untoward  and  against  it,  without  one  thing  to  aid  it  in  coming  into  notice,  and  yet 
breaking  through  all  this,  and  by  its  own  innate  talent  and  energy,  and  its  own  unaided 
power,  rising  up  and  compelling  notice,  and  throwing  off  the  difficulties  which  destroy 
most  men,  we  cannot  but  bestow  our  undivided  admiration  and  applause.  It  was  thus 
with  Bertel  Thorivaldsen.  There  was,  humanly  speaking,  no  one  circumstance  which 
did  not  seem  to  say  that  he  must  live  and  die  in  obscurity  and  unknown,  nis  father 
was  a  poor  carver  in  wood,  and  destined  his  son  to  the  same  occupation.  Born  and 
educated  amidst  poverty,  in  the  humblest  walks  of  life,  with  not  one  about  him  who 
could  understand  or  appreciate  his  talent,  with  no  hand  to  lift  him  up,  and  no  voice 


11 


which  could  call  attention  to  him,  he  has  challenged  and  has  received  the  decision  of 
the  world’s  Supreme  Court,  that  his  name  shall  stand  on  the  rolls  of  immortality. 
And  if  his  life  might  be  embodied  in  a  single  emblem,  perhaps  it  should  be  that  of  a 
young  lion,  with  an  eye  that  glows  and  flashes  fire,  while  he  is  bound  with  ivy  and  led 
by  the  hand  of  the  three  Graces.  There  must  be  original  greatness  in  the  mind  that 
can  thus  come  into  notice,  with  no  circumstance  in  its  favor,  but  the  reverse  ;  and  the 
struggles  against  which  he  has  battled  and  the  victory  he  has  gained  have,  therefore, 
embalmed  his  name  as  one  that  is  almost  sacred.  The  greatest  and  most  honored  of 
men,  and  the  choicest  instruments  raised  up  by  a  superintending  Providence,  were  in 
most  cases  from  the  shades  of  humble  life.  There  is  no  aristocracy  of  talent,  and 
mind  is  so  much  more  esteemed  than  matter,  intellect  is  so  much  more  highly  prized 
than  the  mere  circumstances  of  birth  or  of  wealth,  that  these  circumstances,  compar¬ 
atively  speaking,  sink  into  nothingness.  If  the  quill  can  write  a  powerful  sentence,  it 
is  of  no  consequence  whether  it  came  from  the  wing  of  the  eagle  or  the  goose. 

A  gracious  Providence  granted  Thorwaldsen  a  long  life.  He  died  74  years  of  age, 
but  though  dead,  he  still  speaketh  ;  thunders  peal  his  renown.  The  warm  breathings 
of  his  unsurpassed  talent  and  lofty  genius  are  still  upon  us  and  will  never  grow  old. 
His  spirit  has  stamped  itself  upon  the  earth,  so  that  its  lineaments  will  remain  till  the 
Archangel’s  trumpet  shall  sound,  and  the  elements  are  melted. 


1 

fN  the  beginning  of  the  eighteenth  century,  Thorwald  Gotskalksen  was  dean 
of  Myklaby  at  Skagafiord  in  Iceland,  a  remote  island  in  the  Arctic  ocean. 

His  son,  Gotskalk  Thorwaldsen,  born  in  the  year  1740,  applied  himself  to 
the  art  of  carving,  and  went  to  Copenhagen,  Denmark,  there  to  support  himself  by 
this  handicraft.  Here  he  married  Karen  GtR(>nlund,  daughter  of  a  clergyman  of  the 
peninsula  of  Jutland,  who  on  November  19th,  1770,  gave  birth  to  1770 

BERTEL  THORWALDSEN, 

the  world-renowned  sculptor,  whose  life  and  immortal  master-pieces  are  to  he  the 
subject  of  this  work. 

His  father  being  then  in  the  very  prime  of  manhood,  supported  himself  and  his 
family  by  decorative  carving  in  wood,  and  labored  as  a  statuary  in  the  private  wharves 
of  Copenhagen  ;  but  he  was  by  no  means  an  artist,  in  the  strict  sense  of  the  word. 

The  scanty  means  of  little  Bertel’s  parents  did  not  enable  them  to  do  much  for 
his  education  and  instruction,  neither  did  their  ambition  run  very  high  in  that  direc¬ 
tion.  However,  as  he  already,  when  eleven  years  old,  betrayed  considerable  skill  in 
drawing,  his  father  permitted  him  to  attend  the  Royal  Academy  of  fine  arts,  where,  in 
the  year  1781,  access  was  given  him  to  the  primary  class  for  instruction  in  off-hand  1781 
sketching,  whence,  after  the  expiration  of  only  one  year,  he  was  promoted  to  the 
second  class. 

No  doubt,  the  object  which  Gotskalk  Thorwaldsen  had  in  view,  was  to  educate 
Bertel  for  the  trade  which  he  folloAved  himself,  for  when  only  thirteen  years  old,  he 
had  to  help  his  father  in  the  carving  of  figure-heads  for  ships  ;  and  it  is  told  that  the 
little  boy’s  skill  was  already  then  so  great,  that  he  often  highly  improved  his  father’s 
carvings. 

After  Bertel  for  two  years  had  attended  the  second  class  of  the  Royal  Academy, 


2 


he  was  promoted  to  the  so  called  plaster-class,  where  he  commenced  to  make  orna¬ 
ments,  figures  and  mouldings  of  the  Antiques.  But  already,  after  one  year’s  instruction 

1786  here,  he  was  in  the  year  1786  sent  to  the  Class  of  Models ,  where  he  began  to  study 
nature  itself,  a  study  to  which  he  afterwards  faithfully  devoted  his  life. 

Wiedeavelt,  a  sculptor  of  no  ordinary  ability,  was  then  the  President  of  the 
Academy,  but  Abildgaard,  who  was  Professor  of  the  Class  of  Models,  seems  especially 
to  have  paid  attention  to  Bertel’s  innate  talent,  as  he  also  seems  to  have  been  the 
pattern  which  at  first  Bertel  selected  for  imitation. 

After  the  expiration  of  but  one  year  Bertel  Thorwaldsen  obtained  the  Minor 

1787  Silver  Medal  of  the  Academy  as  a  reward  of  merit. 

The  quiet  and  meditative  dignity,  the  studious  and  contemplative  life,  which  after¬ 
wards  in  ripe  manhood  became  his  characteristic,  were  already  seen  in  the  boy.  He 
spoke  but  little,  but  his  brief,  precise  answers  were  often  comically  striking  on  account 
of  their  unaffected  plainness.  When  sitting  at  his  drawing-board  his  answer  was 
either  a  nod  or  a  shaking  of  the  head,  and  he  avoided  the  use  of  words.  But  with 
all  this  he  combined  an  uncommon  meekness  and  benignity.  His  drawings,  whose 
contours  were  so  faintly  adumbrated  scarcely  to  be  visible,  were  executed  with  the 
greatest  assiduity.  In  his  studio  his  life  was  hidden. 

When  competing  for  the  minor  silver  medal  he  was  in  his  seventeenth  year,  and 
was  then  sent  twice  weekly  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Hoyer,  Pastor  of  the  Church  of  the 
Mariners,  to  be  prepared  for  the  Act  of  Confirmation.  Bertel  had  his  seat  far  down 
on  the  bench  amongst  the  other  poor  boys,  and  he  did  by  no  means  distinguish  himself 
by  much  biblical  knowledge.  Once  the  Reverend  gentleman,  whose  brother  Avas  the 
Secretary  of  the  Academy,  chanced  to  ask  Bertel:  “  Is  it  your  brother  who  lately 
won  the  silver  medal?”  Bertel  answered,  “Ho,  it  is  myself.”  The  clergyman  was 
quite  surprised,  gave  him  immediately  the  upper  seat,  and  called  him  aftenvards, 
jokingly,  Mr.  Thoravaldsen.  This  in  itself  unimportant  event  we  only  mention, 
because  it  made  an  impression  upon  Thoravaldsen  so  indelible  that  in  after  years, 
when  his  boyhood  happened  to  be  the  topic  of  conversation,  it  afforded  him  no  small 
gratification  to  narrate  it.  He  Avas  confirmed  on  April  15th,  1787. 

The  very  first  work  of  Thoravaldsen  is  a  small  bass-relief  which  he  modelled  in 

1789  the  year  1789,  Avhen  competing  for  the  Large  Silver  Medal.  This  bass-relief,  which 
won  the  prize,  represents 

Tab.  JV  ilcjjtiwq  tt nid, 

IH. 

(2  FEET  4x1  FOOT  9.) 

This  is,  however,  only  an  academical  performance,  Avhich  our  juvenile  artist  after¬ 
wards  gave  an  additional  interest  by  adumbrating  the  model-figure  with  wings,  arrow 


3 


and  bow.  With  the  arrow  in  his  left  hand  he  rests  on  the  right  arm,  holding  in  this 
hand  his  bow.  In  the  expression  of  the  head,  and  in  its  ringlets  of  hair  tastefully 
arranged,  the  influence  of  Prof.  Abildgaard,  his  instructor,  is  easily  seen. 

When  he  had  won  the  large  silver  medal,  his  father  who  wanted  his  assistance, 
meant  that  Bertel  ought  to  discontinue  and  be  satisfied.  Indeed,  he  was  about  to 
yield  to  his  father’s  wish,  when  fortunately,  both  his  colleagues  and  Abildgaard 
interfered.  However,  young  Bertel,  deeply  imbued  with  filial  love,  did  not  entirely 
cease  to  help  his  father,  but  cut  ornaments  in  wood,  modelled  bas-reliefs,  drew 
portraits,  sculptured  in  stone,  and  so  forth.  A  watch  case  which  Bertel  himself  about 
at  that  time  cut  out  in  wood,  the  Danish  coat  of  arms  over  the  Royal  apothecary’s 
shop,  and  the  four  lions  at  the  garden  of  Fredericksberg  palace,  which  his  father, 
principally  by  Bertel’s  assistance,  sculptured  in  stone,  deserve,  on  account  of  their 
great  artistic  value,  to  be  mentioned. 

When,  in  the  year  1790,  preparations  were  made  in  Copenhagen  for  a  festival  1790 
reception  of  the  Crown  princess,  afterwards  the  Queen  of  King  Frederic  the  Sixth, 
Thorwaldsen  borrowed  accidentally  from  a  traveler  a  portrait  of  the  Princess.  After 
this  he  contrived  a  medallion  which,  however,  he  did  not  finish  until,  by  frequent 
visits  to  the  theatre,  he  had  got  an  opportunity  to  see  the  Princess  and  imprint  her 
features  upon  his  intuitive  mind.  Thus  he  executed  a  very  life-like  portrait,  but  did 
not  understand  to  make  it  profitable,  for  on  account  of  a  momentary  scarcity  of  money 
he  sold  the  model  for  a  mere  trifle  to  a  Mr.  Regoli,  who  made  a  lucrative  business 
with  it. 

Another  work  of  Thorwaldsen,  executed  about  at  this  time,  is  placed  for  an 
ornament  on  the  Custom  Exchange  of  Copenhagen.  This  bas-relief  represents  a 
female  figure  in  a  sitting  attitude,  looking  through  a  telescope,  which  probably  is  an 
allusion  to  the  there  beautiful  view.  This  work  was  accomplished  at  a  time  when 
Thorwaldsen  occasionally  had  to  work  after  the  designs  of  other  artists.  Niclas 
Wolff,  an  older  and  then  very  promising  artist,  exercised  much  influence  upon 
Thorwaldsen,  and  made  the  design  after  which  this  bass-relief  was  executed. 

Through  all  these  years,  up  to  the  very  day  of  his  departure  from  Denmark, 
Thorwaldsen  lived  with  his  poor  parents,  226  Aabenraa,  one  of  Copenhagen’s  most 
obscure  streets.  In  the  day  time  he  was  mostly  in  his  father’s  workshop,  but  his 
evenings  were  entirely  devoted  to  his  art,  either  in  the  Academy  or  among  his  friends. 

In  the  winter  of  the  year  1790,  some  young  artists,  amongst  whom  was  Thor¬ 
waldsen,  formed  a  society  whose  object  was  to  study  the  female  model.  But  the 
greatest  difficulty  was  to  obtain  some  ideals  of  female  beauty,  wherefore  all  of  them, 
with  the  exception  of  Thorwaldsen,  studiously  sought  to  remedy  this  difficulty. 
However  much  this  concerned  Thorwaldsen,  he  was  too  unexperienced  and  too  moral 


4 


actively  to  participate  in  this  delicate  affair,  and  partly  from  being  disappointed  in 
removing  the  above  difficulty,  and  partly  from  want  of  means  to  defray  the  necessary 
expenses,  this  society  soon  dissolved. 

But  Thorwaldsen,  Probsthain,  historical  painter,  Grosch,  painter  of  landscapes, 
and  Prof.  Fritzch,  flower  painter,  formed  a  minor  society.  These  four  young  friends 
convened  weekly  to  improve  in  composition,  thereby  to  prepare  themselves  for  the 
approaching  Academical  challenge.  Their  business  being  transacted,  they  partook  of 
a  frugal  meal,  the  balance  of  the  evening  being  pleasantly  and  profitably  occupied  by 
the  recitation  of  poetical  works,  and  conversation  on  subjects  pertaining  to  science  and 
the  arts.  On  such  occasions  Thorwaldsen  exhibited  a  great  facility  in  composing, 
and  his  composition  was  often  finished  before  his  three  friends  had  agreed  how  to  solve 
the  problem.  He  was  then  sitting  silently  modeling  in  a  lump  of  clay,  or  in  want  of 
that,  in  a  piece  of  bread.  Sometimes  he  took  a  lead-pencil  and  sketched  an  idea  or 
whatever  occurred  to  his  mind. 

It  may  not  be  out  of  place  here  to  notice  how  much  Asmus  Jacob  Carstens,  the 
unhappy,  but  highly  talented  painter,  whose  acquaintance  Thorwaldsen  after  some 
years  made  in  Rome,  probably  already  then  influenced  him.  Carstens  who  had 
studied  at  the  Royal  Academy  of  Copenhagen,  left  Denmark  dissatisfied.  Groscii,  one 
of  his  warmest  admirers,  often  spoke  of  how  little  his  gifted  friend  had  been  appre¬ 
ciated  in  his  native  country,  and  as  he  had  in  his  possession  many  highly  finished 
drawings  and  compositions  executed  by  Carstens,  he'Trequently  exhibited  them  to 
Thorvaldsen,  and  it  is  not  at  all  improbable  that  the  great  genius  pervading  all  the 
productions  of  Carstens  has  beneficially  influenced  Tiiorwaldsen’s  artistic  mind. 

The  academical  challenge  for  the  Minor  Gold  Medal  was  now  drawing  nigh,  but 
Thorwaldsen,  strange  to  say,  felt  disinclined  to  engage  in  it.  His  three  friends  did 
not  fail  constantly  to  encourage  and  animate  him,  but  cried  out  to  him  in  Green  Street, 
where  the  Society  met:  “  Thorwaldsen ,  bear  in  mind  the  Challenge ,”  and  when  in  the 
year  1819,  Fritzch  again  saw  his  intimate  friend,  he  exclaimed,  jokingly:  “  Thorivaldsen, 
bear  in  mind  the  Challenge  ”  Though  so  many  years  had  now  elapsed,  he  had  not 
forgotten  it,  but  remembered  it  even  with  a  sort  of  comical  fear.  Nevertheless,  had 
it  not  been  for  the  urging  of  his  friends,  Thorwaldsen  would  not  have  taken  part  in 
the  challenge. 

1791  On  the  first  day  of  June,  1791,  the  competitors  met  in  the  Academy  to  receive  the 
problem  to  be  solved.  Each  one  was  then  separately  boxed  up,  to  make  his  sketches 
and  thereby  prove  whether  or  not  he  was  worthy  of  being  granted  permission  to 
engage  in  the  challenge.  The  possibility  of  being  found  unworthy  to  take  part,  vexed 
Thorwaldsen  very  much,  for  he  was  modest  enough  to  acknowledge  his  inablity  to 
handle  a  historical  subject,  at  feast  to  his  own  satisfaction,  and  too  proud  quietly  to 


5 


comply  with  a  dismissal.  The  problem  proposed  for  solution  was  the  Expulsion  of 
Heliodorus  from  the  Temple ,  taken  from  the  Second  Book  of  the  Maccabees,  Chapter 
iii.  25-27  verses. 

After  having  received  this  question,  Thorwaldsen  left  the  box  to  steal  away,  and 
by  the  aid  of  some  privy  stairs  he  had  already  reached  the  gate,  when  he  met  one  of 
the  Professors,  who  urgently  beseeched  him  to  return.  He  yielded,  went  to  work  and 
in  four  hours  he  completed  a  sketch  fully  corresponding  to  the  great  expectations 
already  formed  about  him.  From  this  sketch  he  executed  in  less  than  two  months  the 
celebrated  bas-relief  representing 

®ite  of  geliotlonts  from  the 

(3  FEET  7  IN.  X  5  FEET  6  IN.) 

In  the  third  chapter  of  this  apogryphal  book  of  the  Old  Testament,  it  is  told  how 
Heliodorus  is  sent  by  King  Seleucus  to  take  away  the  treasures  deposited  in  the 
temple,  and  how  he  is  struck  by  God  for  the  committal  of  this  heinous  crime.  Thus 
read  the  words  :  “And  there  appeared  a  horse  with  a  terrible  rider  upon  him,  adorned 
with  a  very  fair  covering,  and  he  ran  fiercely,  and  smote  at  Heliodorus  with  his  fore¬ 
feet,  and  it  seemed  that  he  that  sat  upon  the  horse  had  complete  harness  of  gold. 
Moreover,  two  other  young  men  appeared  before  him,  notable  in  strength,  excellent 
in  beauty  and  in  comely  apparel,  who  stood  by  him  on  either  side,  and  scourged  him 
continually,  and  gave  him  many  sore  stripes.  And  Onias,  the  High  Priest,  cried  for 
vengeance  against  the  sacrilegist,  who  fell  suddenly  unto  the  ground,  and  was  compassed 
with  great  darkness,  and  lay  speechless  without  all  hope  of  life.” 

Thorwaldsen  represents  here  that  moment  in  which  Heliodorus  falls  unto  the 
ground  beneath  the  fore-feet  of  the  horse.  With  his  own  hands  the  sacrilegist  takes 
out  of  the  treasury  two  vases  filled  with  money.  These  vases  are  seen  thrown  behind 
him.  His  warriors  recede  ;  one  holds  in  his  hand  the  royal  command,  another  conceals, 
astonished,  his  eyes  from  the  radiant  sight,  and  a  third  takes  up  arms  to  resist.  The 
main  group  is  accurately  represented,  according  to  the  text.  The  rider  is  on  both 
sides  surrounded  with  two  men,  rushing  on  in  rich  apparel.  One  of  these  figures 
seems  to  indicate  that  Thorwaldsen  already  then  knew  Raphael’s  famous  representa¬ 
tion  of  this  subject.  Behind,  Onias,  the  High  Priest,  is  seen  on  his  knees  invoking 
Heaven  for  aid  in  this  critical  moment,  and  with  him  two  priests.  The  universal 
lamentation  in  the  city  and  in  the  temple,  is  represented  by  a  woman  who  agonizingly 
stretches  out  her  right  hand,  while  with  the  left  she  embraces  her  child. 

On  the  15th  of  August  1791,  the  Academy  decreed  to  Thorwaldsen,  for  the  1791 
execution  of  this  bass-relief,  the  Minor  Gold  Medal.  Count  Reventlow,  who,  as  an 


6 


honorary  member  of  the  Academy  had  had  frequent  opportunities  to  hear  Thorwaldsen 
favorably  mentioned,  and  now  had  an  opportunity  to  see  a  specimen  of  his  great 
artistic  skill,  became  so  enamored  of  this  work  of  art  that  he  caused  it  to  be  cast,  and  he 
kept  one  copy  for  his  own  manor.  Niclas  Wolfe  now  wished  to  procure  for  his  friend, 
Thorwaldsen,  an  opportunity  to  represent  some  interesting  scenes  of  Homer’s  Iliad. 
To  defray  the  expenses  therewith  connected,  Wolff  started  a  subscription  which 
Reventlow  liberally  headed.  Thus  being  enabled  more  independently  to  cultivate  his 
favorite  art,  Thorwaldsen  selected  the  24th  Book  of  the  Iliad,  v.  475-89,  and  repre¬ 
sented  in  a  small  bass-relief 


Tab.  fhiiuw  Srhillicjs. 

V. 

(2  .FEET  1  IN.  X  2  FEET  5  IN.) 

We  quote  the  Homeric  words  from  the  Earl  of  Derby’s  excellent  translation. 
Priam  says  : 

“  Lies  yet  my  son  beside  the  Grecian  ships, 

Or  hath  Achilles  tom  him  limb  from  limb, 

And  to  his  dogs  the  mangled  carcass  giv'n  ? 

To  whom  in  answer  thus  the  guardian-God  : 

On  him,  old  man,  nor  dogs,  nor  birds  have  fed, 

But  by  the  ship  of  Peleus’  son  he  lies 
Within  the  tent ;  twelve  days  he  there  has  lain, 

Nor  hath  corruption  touched  his  flesh,  nor  worms 
That  won’t  to  prey  on  men  in  battle  slain. 

Around  his  comrades  he  drags  indeed 
The  corpse,  dishon’ring  each  returning  morn, 

Yet  leaves  it  still  uninjured ;  thou  thyself 
Might’st  see  how  fresh  as  dew  besprent  he  lies, 

From  blood  stains  cleans’d,  and  clos’d  his  many  wounds  ; 

For  many  a  lance  was  buried  in  his  corpse. 

So  ev’n  in  death  the  blessed  God  above, 

Who  loved  him,  well  protect  thy  noble  son.’’ 

After  Achilles  has  satisfied  his  indignant  grief  over  the  death  of  Patrocles  by 
slaying  Hector  and  dragging  his  corpse  around  the  grave  of  his  friend.  Priam,  the 
afflicted  old  monarch  accompanied  by  Hermes,  approaches  in  the  deep  of  night  the 
tent  of  Achilles  offering  costly  gifts  for  the  corpse  of  his  beloved  son. 

In  this  bass-relief,  the  aged  king,  Priam,  is  seen  prostrating  himself  before  Achilles 
and  supplicatingly  raising  his  head  towards  him.  Moved  by  this  sight  the  hero  rises, 
grasping  the  king’s  hand  with  his  left,  while  he  lifts  the  right  hand  and  lays  it,  in  a 
manner  of  consolation,  on  the  shoulder  of  the  venerable  sire.  This  bass-relief  has 


7 


acquired  a  peculiar  interest,  from  the  fact  that  in  the  year  1815,  Thorwaldsen  was 
requested  to  execute  a  similar  copy  for  the  Duke  of  Bedford. 

When  the  Prussian  sculptor,  Prof.  John  Geoffrot  Schadow,  in  the  year  1792, 
visited  Copenhagen  and  was  made  a  member  of  the  Academy,  Schadow  modeled  a 
bass-relief  representing  Bacchus  and  Ariadne.  Abildgaard  was  rather  dissatisfied 
with  it,  and  requested  Thorwaldsen  to  represent  a  similar  subject.  To  gratify  his 
preceptor’s  wish,  he  modeled  in  the  same  year  a  bass-relief,  which  Abidgaard  1792 
exhibited  in  the  Academy  in  competition  for  superiority  to  that  of  Schadow.  This 
work  represents 

ffrmtks  and  (i>M|)Iuilc.  Tab 

(1  FOOT  7  IN.  X  2  FEET.) 

When  Hercules,  according  to  the  response  of  the  Delphic  oracle,  had  been  sold 
by  Mercury  to  Omphale,  the  Queen  of  Lydia,  to  undergo  a  triennial  thraldom,  he 
became  so  infatuated  by  her  amorous  tricks,  and  gave  himself  up  to  such  an  effeminacy 
that  he  span  on  her  spinning  wheel,  while  she  craftily  deprived  him  of  his  club  and  of 
the  skin  of  the  Nemean  lion. 

To  explain  this  mythological  scene,  Thorwaldsen  has  represented  Hercules 
effeminately  stretched  on  a  voluptuous  couch,  holding  in  his  right  hand  the  spinning 
wheel,  and  with  the  left  embracing  Omphale,  who.  sitting  at  his  side  with  her  right 
arm  around  his  shoulders,  draws  the  thread  out  of  the  spinning  wheel.  In  her  left 
arm  she  holds  the  heavy  club  and  rests  on  the  skin  of  the  lion,  while  he  is  wrapped  up 
in  her  dress. 

Thorwaldsen,  who  daily  made  gigantic  progress  in  his  art,  accepted  the  next  year, 
with  greater  confidence  in  himself,  the  Academical  challenge.  The  question  given  for 
solution  was  this  time  taken  from  the  third  chapter  of  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles : 


f? (to  hub  a  Hattie  fgatt. 

(3  FEET  9  IN.  X  5  FEET  6  IN.) 

Thus  read  the  words  in  the  sacred  volume  :  “How  Peter  and  John  went  up 
together  into  the  temple,  at  the  hour  of  prayer,  being  the  ninth  hour.  And  a  certain 
man,  lame  from  his  mother’s  womb,  was  carried,  whom  they  laid  daily  at  the  gate  of 
the  temple  which  is  called  Beautiful,  to  ask  alms  of  them  that  entered  into  the  temple  ; 
who,  seeing  Peter  and  John  about  to  go  into  the  temple,  asked  an  alms.  And  Peter, 
fastening  his  eyes  upon  him,  with  John,  said,  Look  on  us.  And  he  gave  heed  unto 
them,  expecting  to  receive  something  of  them.  Then  Peter  said,  silver  and  gold  have 
I  none  ;  but  such  as  I  have  give  I  thee  :  In  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Nazareth  rise 


8 


up  and  walk.  And  he  took  him  by  the  right  hand,  and  lifted  him  up  ;  and  immedi¬ 
ately  his  feet  and  ankle-bones  received  strength.  And  all  the  people  saw  him  walking 
and  praising  God.” 

Thorwaldsen  has  selected  the  very  moment,  when  Peter,  full  of  confidence  in 
the  Saviour,  took  the  lame  man  by  the  right  hand  and  bade  him  to  rise  up.  John 
stands  at  Peter’s  side  and  lays  his  hand  upon  the  lame  man,  in  whose  limbs  the  healing 
power  of  the  Apostle  already  is  felt.  The  people  passing  by,  stand  still  and  look  on. 
On  one  side  of  the  main  group  an  aged  man  is  seen,  pondering  on  this  cure  and 
covering  his  beard  with  his  hand  ;  behind  him  stands  a  mother  with  her  child.  On  the 
other  side  a  boy  is  seen  narrating  this  event  to  a  blind  old  man  who  asks  the  boy  to 
lead  him  to  the  Apostle,  that  his  sight  may  be  restored  to  him. 

This  beautiful  work  of  art  was  exhibited  in  the  Academy,  and  on  August  14th, 
1793  1793,  the  Large,  Gold  Medal  was  decreed  to  Thorwaldsen. 

The  great  prerogative  combined  with  the  obtaining  of  this  medal,  was  a  triennial 
stipend,  to  enable  him  to  go  abroad.  It  was,  however,  considered  expedient,  that  before 
setting  out  on  a  European  tour,  Thorwaldsen  should  be  carefully  instructed  in  the 
usual  branches  of  literature.  To  defray  the  expenses  therewith  connected,  the 
Academy  granted  him  a  pecuniary  assistance  for  two  years. 

Besides,  Thorwaldsen  made  now  a  respectable  living  by  giving  private  lessons  in 
drawing,  by  modeling,  and  by  drawing  portraits.  The  instruction  in  drawing  Avhich 
he  gave,  introduced  him  to  the  most  refined  circles  of  society,  by  which,  now  and  then, 
an  opportunity  was  given  him  to  earn  something  by  drawing  portraits.  Several  small 
specimens  of  such  portraits  are  still  preserved,  drawn  on  parchment  and  overlaid 
with  a  slight  tincture  of  water-colors.  Such  a  one,  his  own  likeness,  drawn  by 
Jab-  himself  in  his  24th  year,  represents  him  as  he  stood  in  his  little  workshop,  while 
he  was  executing  the  bust  of  the  philosopher,  Tyge  Rothe.  Several  portrait- 
medallions  and  four  vignettes  to  Sulim's  Northern  Tales ,  to  Haste's  Thalia,  and  to 
the  portrait  of  the  actress,  Madam  Rosing,  are  still  preserved  as  memorials  of  him 
from  that  period. 

Thorwaldsen  was  now  introduced  by  some  lovers  of  art,  to  the  Danish  Dramatic 
Literary  Society,  where  he  weekly  associated  with  Henry  Steffens,  Baiibek, 
Abrahamson,  and  Tiiaarup,  whose  intelligent  and  spirited  conversation  was  of  great 
benefit  for  the  cultivation  of  his  mind.  In  the  jovial  meetings  Thorwaldsen  gladly 
took  part,  but  he  seems,  however,  to  have  been  more  of  a  quiet  beholder  and  observer, 
than  of  a  gay  and  merry  companion. 

About  this  time,  Thorwaldsen  kept  a  large  dog,  from  whom  he  was  almost 
inseparable — his  great  love  for  animals  being  one  of  his  many  amiable  characteristics 
— and  when  the  dog  once  had  bitten  an  impatient  creditor,  it  was  long  a  joke  amongst 


9 


his  friends  to  ask  him  for  whelps  of  this  excellent  dog  who  could  and  would  bite 
obtrusive  creditors. 

In  his  deportment  he  observed  great  decorum  and  propriety,  and  he  was  easy  to 
please.  Now  and  then  it  vexed  him  a  little  that  his  room  was  so  poorly  adapted 
for  the  reception  of  his  friends.  Nevertheless,  when  a  more  elegant  apartment 
was  offered  him,  he  politely  declined  from  fear  of  hurting  the  feelings  of  his  poor 
parents. 

As  to  his  character,  his  contemporaries  express  themselves  differently.  Some 
believe  that  his  quiet  meditative  mind  and  deep  musing  silence,  was  founded  in  a 
secret  grief  over  his  parents’  needy  circumstances,  whilst  others  ascribe  it  to  higher 
motives.  Certainly,  indigence  was  the  constant  companion  of  his  youthful  days,  but 
it  did  by  no  means  crush  him ;  on  the  contrary,  his  deep  artistic  eye  was  all  the  time 
dwelling  upon  his  advancing  genius,  and  he  did  not  much  heed  whether  the  paths  he 
walked  on,  were  smooth  or  thorny.  And  all  his  associates  unanimously  mention  him 
as  an  amiable  young  artist,  whose  light  blue  eyes  prophetically  predicted  the  great 
revelations  of  the  deep  secrets  in  sculpture,  which  he  was  destined  to  make.  He  was 
neither  too  modest,  nor  too  vain  ;  his  vanity  consisted  in  the  deep  love  which  he 
cherished  for  his  genius. 

Thorvaldsen  grew  up  almost  entirely  left  to  himself,  and  the  schooling  he 
received,  was  too  superficial  to  render  him  a  man  of  culture,  in  the  usual  sense  of  the 
word.  But  he  understood  with  unusual  facility  to  retrieve,  or  at  least  to  remedy  that 
which  had  been  neglected  ;  and  no  one  beholding  his  marvelous  performances  in  the 
cold  marble,  can  doubt  that  he  who  plastically  interpreted  Homer,  and  comprehended 
all  the  secrets  of  the  deep  art  of  the  most  cultivated  nation,  into  which  centuries  in 
vain  had  sought  to  penetrate,  must  needs  have  been  possessed  of  the  loftiest  and  most 
refined  mind,  and  of  the  keenest  mental  sight. 

When  in  the  year  1794,  the  four  palaces  of  Amalienborg,  Copenhagen,  were  to 
be  repaired,  the  decoration  of  the  palace  belonging  to  the  hereditary  prince,  was 
assigned  to  Abildgaard,  who  thus  got  a  favorable  opportunity  to  give  his  young 
friend,  Thorvaldsen,  access  both  to  practice  and  to  earn  something. 

For  this  palace,  Thorvaldsen  modeled  two  bass-reliefs  :  The  Seasons  of  the  Tear, 
and  the  Periods  of  the  Day,  which  embellish  the  dining  saloon  ;  and  for  another 
apartment  he  modeled  the  two  Muses,  Terpsichore  and  Euterpe,  (6  feet),  which  are  the 
very  first  statues  we  have  from  his  hand.  Furthermore,  in  the  niches  of  the  walls  of 
the  palace,  two  figures  (5  feet  9  in.)  are  inserted,  commonly  called  Muses,  though  as 
such  they  are  but  little  characterized.  He  executed  these  works  in  a  very  unusual 
manner.  They  were  not  first  modeled  in  clay  and  then  cast  in  plaster,  but  modeled 
alia  prima ,  or  better  to  say,  masoned  from  the  pedestal,  with  stone  and  stucco,  a 


1794 


Tabb. 

IX  &X. 

Tabb. 

XI  &  XII. 


10 


modus  operandi  which,  on  account  of  the  speedy  drying  up  of  the  stucco,  is  connected 
with  many  difficulties. 

When  the  Swedish  sculptor,  Prof.  John  Tobias  Sergel,  just  at  this  time  was  in 
Copenhagen,  and  heard  of  this  new  manner  of  proceeding,  he  went  to  the  palace  and 
asked  courteously  our  artist :  ‘ 1  By  what  implement  has  the  young  gentleman  executed 
these  beautiful  figures  ?  ”  Thorwaldsen,  pointing  to  a  scraper  which  he  held  in  his 
hand,  answered  with  his  usual  Spartan  brevity  :  “By  this.” 

1793  When  the  biennial  pecuniary  assistance,  granted  him  in  the  year  1793,  had 
expired,  Thorwaldsen  engaged  himself  in  executing  a  bass-relief  representing 


fjhttM  iuul 


Tab. 

XIII. 


(1  FOOT  6  IN.  X  2  FEET.) 


Egeria,  the  water  nymph,  visited  in  the  night  Numa  Pompilius,  the  second  king 
of  Home,  and  taught  him  how  to  establish  his  realm  by  wise  and  judicious  laws. 

The  counsels  suggested  by  Egeria  the  King  records  on  a  slate,  which  he  keeps  in 
his  left  arm.  The  garlanded  nymph,  holding  an  urn  in  her  left  hand,  shows  him  with 
the  right  how  to  write  down  her  counsels. 

1795  This  work  Thorwaldsen  sent  in  1795,  to  the  Academy,  accompanied  by  a  petition 
still  for  one  year  more  to  keep  the  pecuniary  aid.  The  answer  given  was  in  the 
affirmative,  and  besides,  he  received  the  promise  to  obtain  the  above  mentioned 
triennial  stipend  which  next  year  would  be  vacant. 

One  year  before  leaving  Denmark,  Thorwaldsen  was  requested  to  model  a  bust  of 
Peter  Andreas ,  Count  of  Bernstorjf.  As  he  had  never  seen  the  Count,  and  had  to  model 
the  bust  after  a  painting  of  Juel,  he  disliked  to  comply  with  the  request.  Nevertheless, 
he  commenced,  and  sought  for  an  opportunity  to  see  Bernstorff,  aud  to  be  acquainted 
with  his  features.  The  bust  was  almost  completed,  when  Abildgaard  one  day  came 
to  see  it.  Not  fully  satisfied  with  it,  he  corrected  something  about  the  mouth. 
Thorwaldsen  did  not  seem  to  be  much  pleased  with  the  liberty  Abildgaard  had 
taken,  but  when  he  soon  became  convinced  of  the  great  improvement  which  his 
preceptor  had  effected,  he  begged  him  to  appreciate  the  full  extent  of  his  gratitude. 
Meanwhile,  Thorwaldsen  got  an  opportunity  to  show  the  model  to  the  Countess,  Avho 
was  so  highly  pleased  with  it  that  she  prevailed  upon  her  husband  to  sit  before  the 
young  artist,  that  he  might  be  better  enabled  to  execute  a  perfect  life-like  bust.  In 
the  year  1798,  it  was  sculptured  in  marble  and  sent  from  Borne  to  Copenhagen,  and 
in  1802,  Thorwaldsen  executed  a  second  copy  for  BernstorfFs  relatives.  This  differs 
from  the  first  copy  thereby,  that  it  is  without  drapery. 

1796  In  the  year  1796,  Thorwaldsen  obtained  the  Academical  stipend,  amounting  only 


11 


to  400  rix  dollars  annually,  for  three  years  in  succession,  with  the  proviso,  every  sixth 
month  to  report  to  the  Academy  how  he  used  his  time,  and  after  two  years  to  send 
home  specimens  of  his  progress,  conditions  which  he  most  conscientiously  fulfilled. 

On  his  way  to  “the  Eternal  City,”  it  was  Thorwaldsen’s  intention  to  visit 
Dresden  and  Vienna,  to  remain  there  for  some  length  of  time,  and  to  take  private 
lessons  in  the  Italian  language  before  he  traversed  the  Alps.  But  the  whole  scheme 
devised  for  this  journey,  was  at  once  thwarted  by  his  falling  into  a  malady  that  made 
him  unable  to  sustain  the  jolt  of  a  carriage,  and  when  at  the  same  time  the  martial 
commotions  in  Germany  made  a  journey  there  quite  difficult  and  dangerous,  Thor¬ 
waldsen  obtained  permission  to  go  along  with  the  royal  Danish  frigate,  Thetis ,  just  now 
being  equipped  to  leave  for  the  Mediterranean  sea.  The  final  valediction  was  drawing 
nigh,  and  Thorwaldsen  anticipated  rich  artistic  enjoyment  in  the  “  Eternal  City,”  but 
to  leave  his  mother  whose  express  image  he  was,  weighed  heavily  upon  his  filial  heart. 

When  he  had  taken  leave  of  his  parents,  he  visited  a  friend  whom  he  asked  to  go 
to  his  mother  to  tranquilizc  her  mind.  But  her  grief  bordered  on  insanity,  and  she 
was  deaf  to  all  consolatory  arguments.  When  the  friend  told  her  that  according  to 
an  arrangement  which  her  Bertel  had  made,  a  well-known  man  would  assist  her,  she 
pointed  to  a  box  full  of  ducats  which  Bertel  had  given  her,  and  said  that  she  needed 
nothing  but  her  Bertel  ;  and  under  heart-rending  lamentations  she  took  from  a 
wardrobe  an  old  coat  which  she  incessantly  kissed  and  pressed  to  her  bosom,  because 
it  had  belonged  to  her  dear,  dear  Bertel.  Meanwhile,  the  frigate  weighed  anchor 
and  left  Copenhagen  on  May  20th,  1796.  This  voyage  was  connected  with  many 
hardships.  Thorwaldsen  had  for  a  long  time  to  endure  cruisings  and  quarantines 
instead  of  touching  at  an  Italian  harbor.  The  frigate  was  first  cruising  in  the  North 
sea,  then  she  sailed  southward,  and  on  October  16th,  she  touched  at  Algiers. 

A  contagious  disease  had  lately  been  raging  here,  and  the  frigate  had,  therefore, 
to  endure  a  severe  quarantine  at  Malta.  Nevertheless,  Thorwaldsen  passed  the  time 
rather  pleasantly  in  company  with  the  naval  officers,  who  treated  him  with  the  utmost 
deference  and  friendliness.  We  have  from  this  time  a  small  portrait  of  one  of  the 
officers,  with  the  subscription,  B.  Thorivaldsen ,  Fecit ,  Malta,  1796.  Hence  the  frigate 
left  for  Tripoli,  to  terminate  the  hostilities  which  this  State  had  shown  to  Danish 
vessels.  While  negotiations  on  this  subject  took  place,  a  violent  hurricane  compelled 
the  frigate  to  resort  to  sea  room,  and  before  she  returned  to  Tripoli  she  had  to  endure 
the  severest  gales,  and  Thorwaldsen  had  often  death  before  his  eyes. 

The  negotiations  with  the  Pasha  had  not  been  satisfactory,  and  the  Captain  had 
to  take  the  Danish  Consul,  his  family  and  domestics  on  board,  and  to  leave  again  for 
Malta,  but  a  severe  gale  damanged  the  Thetis  so  much  that  she  had  to  be  careened  in 
the  harbor.  This  became  too  tedious  for  Thorivaldsen,  and  when  he  at  the  same  time 


12 


learned  that  the  frigate  after  being  refitted  should  again  go  to  Tripoli,  he  concluded  to 
look  for  some  other  conveyance.  No  sooner  was  the  sea  calm  than  he  hired  an  open 
boat  for  Palermo,  in  Sicily,  whence  by  a  packet  he  at  length  reached  Naples. 

A  debility  from  which  he  suffered  before  leaving  Denmark,  often  depressed  his 
mind,  and  now  being  alone  in  a  land  whose  language  he  did  not  understand,  he  felt 
very  home-sick.  He  did  not  feel  himself  more  happy  in  the  charming  Naples 
than  in  Africa,  and  it  was  almost  his  intention  to  leave  for  Denmark.  Still,  obedience 

1797  to  his  high  vocation  took  him  to  Pome,  where  he  arrived  on  March  8th,  1797.  This 
day  was  long  solemnized  as  the  anniversary  of  his  birth,  as  he  himself  for  several 
years  was  ignorant  of  the  day  of  his  nativity. 

In  Rome,  Thorwaldsen  rented  a  studio  in  Strada  Babuina,  and  applied  himself 
immediately  to  his  art.  From  the  learned  Danish  Bishop,  Dr.  Frederic  Munter,  he 
brought  a  letter  of  recommendation  to  Munter’s  friend,  George  Zoega,  a  famous 
antiquarian.  At  first  Tiiorwaldsen  was  not  successful  in  inspiring  this  austere  critic 
with  favorable  opinions  of  him,  but  the  judicious  advices  which  Zoega  gave  him,  seem 
to  have  been  of  great  importance  to  Thorwaldsen,  and  to  have  led  him  to  the  study 
of  the  antique  style. 

According  to  his  advice  Thorwaldsen  commenced  to  copy  after  the  ancient  busts, 
statues,  and  vases.  Pollux  on  Monte  Cavallo  made  a  strong  impression  upon  him,  and 
the  bust  of  this  colossal  statue  he  copied  in  half  size,  and  when  through  Zoega’s  kind 
instrumentality  he  soon  obtained  permission  to  work  in  Palazzo  della  Consulta,  he 
executed  the  whole  Pollux  Statue  in  half  natural  size. 

In  addition  to  this,  Thorwaldsen  copied  on  Capitolium  the  large  busts  of  Homer , 
Cicero ,  and  Agrippa.  The  two  last  ones  he  executed  in  marble  and  sent  home  to  the 
Academy.  Besides,  he  copied  the  famous  busts  of  the  Medicean  Venus,  of  the  Vatican 
Apollo,  of  the  Capitolian  Jupiter,  of  Melpomene,  Ariadne  and  of  the  Lesbian  poetess, 
Sappho.  Of  original  works  which  he  completed  in  Rome,  the  bust  of  Tyge  RotJie  was 
the  very  first,  the  model  of  which  he  had  brought  with  him  from  Denmark. 

1798  In  the  summer  of  the  year  1798,  Thorwaldsen  was  busily  engaged  in  the 
execution  of  a  group  which  he  intended  to  send  home  to  the  Academy,  when  he 
suddenly  was  interrupted  by  the  Roman  fever.  However,  the  group  was  about 
completed  and  represents 


Tab. 

XIV. 


ffawtais  and  JbiadnL 

(2  FEET.) 

After  Theseus,  from  fear  of  the  anger  of  the  Gods,  had  deserted  Ariadne  in  the 
isle  of  Naxos,  she  was  in  the  very  midst  of  her  grief  enlivened  by  the  love  of  Bacchus, 
who  married  her  and  made  her  his  jiriestess. 


13 


Thorwaldsen  has  represented  Bacchus,  the  God  of  wine,  sitting  with  his  dear 
Ariadne.  While  he  embraces  her  with  his  right  arm,  he  holds  in  the  left  hand  a  pocal, 
into  which,  by  gently  lifting  her  arm  over  his  shoulder,  she  pours  the  foaming  wine. 

At  length  Thorwaldsen  almost  authoritatively  extorted  from  Zoega  a  more 
favorable  opinion,  but  fully  to  satisfy  him  was  an  impossibility.  However,  by  his 
judicious  counsels  and  rigid  criticism  Zoega  seems  to  have  exercised  an  highly  beneficial 
influence  upon  the  successful  development  of  Thorwaldsen’s  great  talent,  or,  to  use 
the  artist’s  own  expression,  “speedily  to  have  made  the  snow  melt  from  his  eyes.” 

Rome  being  at  this  time  constantly  alarmed  by  French,  Russian  and  Neapolitan 
arms,  the  sojourn  there  was  so  unfavorable  to  our  peaceable  artist,  that  he  made 
himself  ready  to  leave  in  a  moment,  if  necessary,  and  dispatched,  therefore,  his  works 
to  Denmark,  among  which  was  the  bust  of  Bernstorff. 

In  Rome,  Thorwaldsen  greatly  enjoyed  the  enlivening  and  profitable  converse 
of  the  celebrated  painter,  Asmus  Jacob  Carstens,  who  just  at  this  time  died.  Unfor¬ 
tunately,  only  one  year  did  Thorwaldsen  profit  by  this  great  man’s  wise  suggestions, 
but  he  never  ceased  to  admire  his  productions,  and  in  order  more  deeply  to  penetrate 
into  his  invaluable  artistic  genius,  he  copied  several  of  Carsten’s  paintings. 

The  triennial  stipend  was  now  exhausted,  but  under  so  unfavorable  circumstances 
that  it  would  have  been  of  very  little  utility  for  Thorwaldsen,  should  he  now  have 
left  Rome.  He  petitioned,  therefore,  for  a  prolongation  of  the  stipend.  This  was 
granted  him  for  two  years. 

The  artistic  productions  of  Thorwaldsen-  at  this  period,  all  indicated  a  deep 
longing  for  a  cessation  of  the  martial  commotions  which  then  harassed  all  Europe. 
With  reference  to  this  he  closed  the  19th  century  with  a  group  representing 


“The  winged  Goddess,”  thus  he  describes  this  group  in  a  letter  to  the  Academy 
of  Copenhagen,  “  is  sitting  on  the  terrestrial  globe.  With  a  caduceus  (the  wand  of 
Mercury)  in  her  right  hand,  she  embraces  with  her  left  arm  the  genius  of  riches  and 
abundance  which  stands  on  the  globe  at  her  side,  while  she  tramples  under  foot  the 
destructive  implements  of  war.” 

It  was  Thorwaldsen’s  intention  to  send  this  work  to  Denmark,  and  it  was,  there¬ 
fore,  cast  in  plaster. 

Besides  the  busts  already  mentioned,  he  executed  in  the  year  1800,  a  copy  of 
Raphael’s  bust,  Avlnch  now  adorns  the  Danish  Academy  of  fine  arts.  But  in  his 
struggle  with  the  ideal,  we  mean  with  the  model  of  perfection,  Thorwaldsen,  who 
wished  to  exclude  everything  that  was  either  defective  or  unseemly,  unfortunately  in 


1799 


1800 


14 


the  exuberance  of  his  artistic  zeal  often  broke  in  pieces  many  a  composition  that 
would  have  greatly  distinguished  him.  Thus,  for  instance  a  Pallas,  of  whose  attire 
the  merciless  critic  Zoega  remarked,  that  no  decent  woman  of  olden  Greece  was 
dressed  on  such  a  wise,  was  broken  in  pieces  on  account  of  this  remark.  Another  work 
Tab.  from  this  time  is  the  sketch  of  Melpomene,  the  Muse  that  presided  over  tragedy  and 
lyric  poetry,  (2  feet  5  in.),  which  the  learned  Danish  lady,  Madam  F.  Bruun,  then  in 
Rome,  saved  from  a  similar  fate. 

When  Thorwaldsen,  in  the  autumn  of  1800,  was  engaged  in  the  execution  of 
Raphael’s  bust  in  marble,  he  commenced  before  leaving  Rome  for  Denmark,  a  larger 
work,  which  was  to  be  exhibited  in  Copenhagen  as  the  result  of  his  studies  in  Rome. 
This  great  work  was 


(7  FEET  10  IN.) 


the  leader  of  the  celebrated  Arogonautic  expedition,  who  after  he  had  landed  with 
his  Argonauts  at  Colchis,  and  at  the  command  of  PeIias,  his  uncle,  had  seized  upon 
the  Golden  Fleece,  was  about  to  return  to  the  vessel  Argo,  in  which  he  had  embarked. 

His  spear  rests  on  his  right  shoulder,  and  over  his  left  arm  the  Golden  Fleece 
hangs.  But  before  leaving  Colchis,  he  dwells  with  a  triumphant,  but  at  the  same  time 
angry  eye,  upon  the  monstrous  dragon  he  had  killed,  it  being  one  of  the  many  labors 
he  had  to  perform  in  order  to  obtain  the  Fleece,  and  which  he  had  now  successfully 
accomplished. 

This  statue  was  begun  in  October  1800,  in  natural  size,  and  was  completed  in 

1801  day  in  April  1801,  but  as  Thorwaldsen  could  not  afford  to  pay  for  a  cast  of  it,  he 
broke  it  in  pieces. 

The  stipend  was  again  exhausted,  but  his  departure  from  Rome,  which  was  to 

1802  lake  place  in  the  spring  of  1802,  was  postponed  till  the  beginning  of  1803,  because 
Zoega  who  intended  to  accept  a  Professorship  offered  him  at  the  University  of  Kiel, 
Holstein,  would  then  accompany  him.  But  Zoega  meanwhile  changed  his  mind,  and 
Thorwaldsen  recommenced  his  Jason,  who  soon  appeared  triumphantly  in  preternatural 
size. 

1803  It  was  in  January  1803  that  this  world-renowned  statue  was  completed,  which 
gained  the  admiration  of  all  artists  and  travelers,  and  won  even  Zoega ’s  undivided 
approbation.  Antonio  Canova,  the  famous  Venetian  sculptor,  had  to  confess  that  this 
production  of  the  young  Dane  was  the  greatest  master-piece  he  had  ever  seen.  Never¬ 
theless,  this  statue  would  have  undergone  the  same  fate  as  its  predecessor,  had  not 
the  learned  and  rich  Madam  Bruun  enabled  Thorwaldsen  to  cause  it  to  be  cast,  that 
it  afterwards  might  be  executed  in  marble. 


15 


But  Thorwaldsen ’s  leave  of  absence  had  expired ;  he  was  homeward  bound. 
The  Vetturino  with  his  four-wheeled  carriage  held  before  the  door,  when  the  sculptor, 
Hageman,  suddenly  informed  him  that  he  could  not  leave,  as  his  passport  was  not  yet 
in  complete  order,  and  that  his  departure  had  to  be  put  off  till  the  next  day. 

But  now  it  should  happen  that  just  on  this  day  a  hired  servant  took  the  wealthy 
English  banker,  Sir  Thomas  Hope,  to  Thorwaldsen’s  studio.  Hope,  like  all  others, 
was  perfectly  astonished  when  seeing  the  statue  of  Jason,  and  instantly  asked 
Thorwaldsen  how  much  it  would  cost  to  have  the  celebrated  leader  of  the  Argonautic 
expedition  executed  in  marble.  Thorwaldsen  answered,  “600  Sequins,”  ($1300.) 
Hope  offered  to  pay  800  Sequins,  if  he  would  forthwith  begin  the  execution  in 
marble. 

How  this  liberal  offer  surprised  Thorwaldsen  !  This  event  had  a  decided,  a 
regenerative  influence  upon  his  whole  life.  From  this  time  his  glorious  artistic 
career  commenced,  which  elevated  him  so  high  that  even  his  opposers  could  but  testify 
to  his  unquestionable  greatness.  To  leave  for  Denmark  was  now  impossible  for  him. 
He  had  to  remain  in  Rome.  But  no  sooner  had  he  commenced  to  sculpture  J ason  in 
marble,  than  he  fell  into  the  same  sickness  from  which  he  had  suffered  in  Denmark, 
and  the  physician  he  consulted  advised  him  to  take  a  journey  of  one  year’s  duration. 
Upon  his  return  to  Rome  he  had,  on  account  of  straitened  circumstances,  to  divide  his 
time  between  Jason  and  several  new  orders.  Hence  it  was  that  Jason  was  still 
unfinished,  when  Napoleon,  by  his  Edict  of  Milan,  December  17th,  1807,  excluded 
the  Englishmen  from  Italy  and  confiscated  all  English  property. 

When  at  length  these  difficulties  had  been  removed,  Thorwaldsen  felt  disinclined 
to  finish  a  work,  which,  on  account  of  his  continual  progress  in  his  art,  no  longer 
satisfied  him  either  in  its  details  or  in  its  execution,  and  offered,  therefore,  Hope,  to 
execute  for  the  same  sum  of  money  any  other  production  instead  of  Jason.  But. 
Jason  had  an  interest  for  Hope,  paramount  to  all  other  considerations. 

Thus  Jason  remained  unfinished  for  several  years  ;  but  Thorwaldsen  did  never 
forget  his  debt  of  gratitude  to  Hope. 

However  difficult  it,  from  year  to  year,  became  for  Thorwaldsen  to  finish  this 
work  to  his  own  satisfaction,  it  was,  nevertheless,  frequently  the  subject  of  his 
inspection  and  meditation,  and  he  often  took  his  chisel  to  make  such  alterations  as  he 
considered  advantageous. 

In  May  1824,  Thorwaldsen  was  busy  with  the  execution  of  the  head,  while  one 
of  his  best  students  was  laboring  on  the  Golden  Fleece.  On  seeing  Thorwaldsen 
working  with  his  chisel  on  the  forehead  of  the  hero,  a  friend  of  his  remarked  :  “It 
must,  no  doubt,  be  a  pleasant  occupation  for  you  to  finish  a  statue  that  is  so  significa¬ 
tive  in  your  artistic  career.”  “No,”  said  Thorwaldsen,  “ it  is  rather  an  unpleasant 


16 


one.  When  I  first  modeled  this  statue,  I  found  it  good,  and  it  is  still  good,  but  now  I 
can  do  something  better.” 

Finally  Jason  was  completed  in  marble,  from  the  great  master’s  own  hand,  and 
was  in  August,  1828,  sent  to  England.  In  grateful  acknowledgment  of  Sir  Thomas 
Hope’s  great  patience,  Thorwaldsen  presented  him  with  three  bass-reliefs,  A  genio 
lumen,  Anacreon  and  Cupid,  as  also  with  the  busts  of  Madam  Hope  and  her  three 
daughters,  all  in  marble. 

While  in  the  year  1803,  the  marble  block  for  Jason  was  being  rough-hewn, 
Thorwaldsen  modeled  one  of  his  most  famous  bass-reliefs,  whose  subject  he  took  from 
the  Iliad,  1st  Book,  v.  370-378,  and  selected  for  representation 

rlnllcs  Mil  fhisfis 

(3  FEET  7  IN.  X  7  FEET  10  IN.) 

Briseis,  daughter  of  a  priest  of  Jupiter,  given  to  Achilles  upon  the  taking  of 
Lyrnessus,  whose  abduction  caused  his  wrath  with  Agamemnon,  who  sent  his  heralds, 
Taltybius  and  Eurybates,  to  the  tent  of  Achilles  to  demand  Briseis  from  him.  Achilles 
who  had  to  yield,  commanded  his  friend,  Patrocles,  to  give  up  the  dear  girl. 

Thus  read  the  words  of  the  Iliad  in  Lord  Derby’s  metrical  translation  : 

“  The  camp  thus  occupied,  the  King  (Agamemnon)  pursued 
His  threaten’d  plan  of  vengeance ;  to  his  side 
Calling  Taltybius  and  Eury  bates, 

Heralds,  and  faithful  followers,  thus  he  spoke  : 

‘  Haste  to  Achilles’  tent,  and  in  your  hand 
Back  with  you  thence  the  fair  Briseis  bring. 

If  he  refuse  to  send  her,  I  myself 

With  a  sufficient  force  will  bear  her  thence.’  ” 

And  in  v.  395,  Achilles  says  : 

“  Go  then  Patrocles,  bring  the  maiden  forth 
And  give  her  to  their  hands.” 

True  to  the  words  of  the  Iliad,  Thorwaldsen  has  represented  the  meek  Patrocles 
as  the  central  point  of  the  scene.  Laying  his  left  hand  on  the  shoulder  of  Briseis, 
Patrocles  gently  pushes  her  away  from  a  place  where  her  presence  only  occasions 
sorrow  and  anxiety,  and  his  attitude  seems  to  indicate  that  he  will  hasten  to  his  friend, 
to  tranquilize  him.  Briseis  follows  him,  though  reluctantly  ;  she  does  not  reach  the 
herald  her  hand,  but  he  takes  it  by  force.  In  her  deep  grief  she  leans  her  cheek  upon 
her  right  hand  and  fixes  her  eye  once  more  upon  her  afflicted  lover.  Achilles  himself  is 


Tab. 

XYIL 


17 


the  express  image  of  the  most  violent  passion.  He  has  cast  off  his  mantle,  presses  his 
left  hand  convulsively  to  his  heart,  and  his  eyes  toward  heaven  seem  to  expostulate 
with  Zeus  (Jupiter)  himself.  He  has  flung  himself  down  on  a  chair,  hut  so  restlessly 
that  he  is  expected  every  moment  to  jump  up  again. 

This  was  Thorwaldsen’s  first  bass-relief  in  Rome,  which  created  no  less  sensation 
than  the  statue  of  Jason.  If  by  his  masterly  execution  of  Jason  he  had  rivaled 
Canova,  he  seemed  by  this  production  to  have  reached  the  superiority  in  that  branch 
of  the  art  of  sculpture  in  which  the  famous  Venetian  has  never  been  able  to  compete 
with  him.  The  first  copy  in  marble  Mr.  Von  Ropp  bought  for  his  manor  in  Mittau, 
Courland.  Another  copy,  which  in  1815  the  Duke  of  Bedford,  England,  ordered, 
was  completed  in  1820,  a  little  smaller  than  the  original,  in  order  that  it  might 
correspond  to  the  bass-relief  representing  Priam  and  Achilles ,  which  also  had  been 
ordered.  It  was  placed  in  the  Ducal  residence  in  Woburn  Abbey. 

While  Thorwaldsen  was  busy  with  the  execution  of  this  famous  work,  the  afore¬ 
mentioned  debility  from  which  he  long  had  suffered,  gained  such  an  ascendancy  that 
his  friends-forebodecl  a  speedy  termination  of  his  life.  According  to  their  advice  he 
concluded  to  leave  for  the  salubrious  air  of  Naples,  to  effect  that  in  which  the  skill  of 
the  ablest  physicians  had  proved  abortive,  and  in  1804  he  went  to  Naples,  accompanied  1804 
by  the  Danish  Count,  Adam  Moltke,  whose  bust  he  shortly  before  had  modeled. 

That  his  stay  at  Naples  this  time,  provided  of  course  that  his  sickly  condition 
permitted  it,  has  been  of  more  interest  to  him  than  was  his  first  visit  there,  admits 
not  of  a  doubt.  In  company  with  several  artists  of  distinction  he  went  to  the 
ruins  at  Pesto,  and  the  famous  painter,  Kniep,  long  remembered  Thorwaldsen’s 
enthusiastic  delight,  when  by  moonlight  they  spent  the  first  night  amongst  those 
imposing  ruins. 

Though  not  yet  perfectly  well  Thorwaldsen  went  with  Baron  Von  Schubarth, 
the  Danish  Ambassador  at  the  Tuscan  court,  to  Schubartii’s  beautiful  villa  Montenero, 
close  by  Leghorn.  Here  he  was  advised  to  visit  the  baths  at  Lucca,  whither,  accom¬ 
panied  by  Schubarth,  he  immediately  repaired.  Strengthened  by  the  baths  both  in 
body  and  mind,  Thorwaldsen  began  soon  to  long  for  occupation.  The  courteous 
Baron  procured  for  him  clay  and  plaster,  and  our  sedulous  artist  recommenced  to 
sketch.  Here  he  modeled  some  small  bass-reliefs  representing  Genii  and  Bacchantes , 
which  several  bathing  guests,  amongst  whom  were  many  German  and  Florentinian 
princes,  highly  admired. 

When  Thorwaldsen  had  been  considerably  benefited  by  the  baths  at  Lucca,,  he 
went  in  September  with  Von  Schubarth  back  to  Montenero,  where  a  studio  was  fitted 
up  for  him.  Grateful  for  the  kindness  shown  him  in  Montenero,  he  commenced  a 
work  of  art  wherewith  he  would  surprise  his  hospitable  hostess  on  her  birthday,  and 


18 


Tab. 

XVIII. 


Tab. 

XIX. 


notwithstanding  the  frequent  visits  paid  him  he  completed  in  nine  days  the  beautiful 
bass-relief  representing 

fiance  of  ilic  pluses  on  futon. 

(5  FEET  X  2  FEET  4  IN.) 

On  a  hillock  the  three  Graces,  Aglaia,  Thalia  and  Euphrosyne  are  seen.  Around 
them  the  Pierian  maidens  (the  Muses)  are  dancing,  while  Apollo  sitting  on  the  left 
accompanies  their  dance  by  the  tunes  of  his  lyre.  The  swan,  the  bird  of  divination, 
charmed  by  his  music,  glides  gently  over  the  unruffled  water.  Nearest  to  Apollo, 
Euterpe  is  seen  performing  on  two  pipes  at  once.  In  front  of  her,  Terpsichore  beats 
the  cymbal,  and  behind,  Erato  is  seen  wreathed  with  roses.  On  the  right  the  pensive 
Melpomene  steps  forth  m  her  tragic  chlamys  and  with  the  mask  on  her  head  ;  the 
club  lies  at  her  feet,  and  with  her  right  arm  she  embraces  Clio,  the  Muse  of  history, 
who  holds  the  scroll  in  her  hand.  The  gay  Thalia  grasps  Melpomene’s  left  arm, 
wearing  on  her  head  the  mask  of  comedy,  and  in  her  left  hand  the  pastoral  staff. 
Nearest  to  her  Calliope  is  seen  with  the  laurel  wreath  around  her  head,  moving  on 
gravely  and  gracefully  and  grasping  Urania’s  left  hand.  Urania,  visible  between  Clio 
and  Melpomene,  bears  the  celestial  globe,  her  eyes  turned  towards  the  perpetual 
circular  motion  of  the  stars.  On  her  head  she  wears  the  feather  of  a  Siren,  an  emblem 
of  superiority,  which  all  the  Muses  wore  after  they  had  been  challenged  by  the  Sirens, 
(sea  nymphs)  to  a  contest  in  singing,  in  which  they  gained  the  victory.  On  the  other 
side  of  the  Graces,  behind  Terpsichore,  Polyhymnia  is  seen  with  the  barbiton. 

This  bass-relief  was  executed  in  marble  in  the  year  1807. 

When  the  stipend  with  its  prolongation  was  exhausted,  Denmark  expected  to  see 
her  young  artist.  However,  the  joyous  rumor  was  soon  heard  that  Jason  had  paved 
for  Tiiorwaldsen  a  glorious  career.  The  government  far  from  interrupting  this  by 
untimely  summoning  him  home,  granted  him  even  a  sum  of  200  species,  and  the 
Academy  of  Florence  honored  him  with  a  diploma  as  Professore  deW  iviperiale  e  reale 
Accademia  Florentina  delle  belle  arti. 

In  his  temporary  studio  in  Montenero,  Thorwaldsen  also  modeled  a  group 
representing 

€ttj»d  and  ftejrclte. 

(4  FEET  3  IN.) 

Psyche,  the  most  lovely  of  mortals,  was  the  daughter  of  a  powerful  monarch. 
After  suffering  much  from  Venus’  jealousy  she  was  finally  transported  to  the  Olymp 
of  the  immortal  gods.  At  length  Venus  became  reconciled,  the  nuptials  of  Cupid  and 
Psyche  were  celebrated,  and  nothing  disturbed  any  longer  their  eternal  joy. 


19 


Thorwaldsen  has  represented  Cupid  embracing  the  waist  of  Psyche  with  his  left 
arm,  and  with  his  right  hand  grasping  her  right  which  rests  upon  his  shoulder.  In  her 
left  hand  Psyche  holds  the  nectarean  goblet  of  immortality,  which  Cupid  has  reached  her. 

When  this  group  had  been  cast,  Thorwaldsen  felt  so  well  that  he  could  leave 
for  Rome. 

However,  tne  group  was  still  so  raw  that  he  had  to  let  it  remain  for  a  while  in 
Montenero.  But  no  sooner  had  he  left  than  a  severe  thunder  and  lightning  destroyed 
everything  in  Montenero.  Only  Cupid  and  Psyche  were  uninjured.  This  event,  almost 
seeming  to  be  providential,  became  the  subject  of  several  Italian  sonnets. 

When  at  length  the  model  had  reached  Rome  in  good  condition,  Thorwaldsen 
executed  one  copy  in  marble  for  Countess  Woronzoff,  and  one  for  Prince  Putbus  of 
Riigen,  a  rocky  island  in  the  Baltic. 

In  Rome  he  completed  in  the  spring  of  1805,  four  statues  in  half-natural  size,  1805 
the  sketches  of  which  he  had  brought  with  him  from  Montenero. 

1.  lafdnts.  Tab. 

-  XX. 

(4  FEET  3  IN.) 

Bacchus  the  god  of  wine  and  drunkards,  leaning  his  hip  on  a  trunk,  holds  in  his 
left  arm  the  thyrsus,  his  attribute,  and  in  the  right  hand  a  patera,  into  which  he  seems 
to  sink  his  voluptuous  eye.  His  head  is  adorned  with  a  diadem,  around  which  a  wreath 
of  ivy  and  vine  leaves  is  twisted.  Around  his  waist  he  wears  a  fawn-skin  knit  together 
on  his  right  shoulder. 

This  statue  was  first  executed  for  Countess  Woronzoff,  and  subsequently  for 
Baron  Von  Schubarth,  but  was,  when  Schubarth  was  summoned  to  Denmark,  sold 
to  Prince  Putbus. 

2.  Tab. 

^  XXL 

(4  FEET  3  IN.) 

Ganymede,  the  handsomest  of  mortal  men,  the  cup  bearer  of  the  gods  and  the 
favorite  of  Jupiter,  holds  in  his  left  hand  a  patera  filled  from  the  tankard,  which  he 
holds  in  his  right.  His  head  is  covered  with  the  Phrygian  mitre  ;  over  his  left  arm  his 
mantle  is  hanging,  and  Jupiter’s  eagle  is  sitting  at  his  foot. 

This  statue  Thorwaldsen  sculptured  in  marble  for  Countess  Woronzoff. 


3. 


(4  FEET  3  IN.) 


Tab, 

XXII. 


The  laurel-wreathed  Apollo,  the  god  of  music,  poetry,  physic,  and  divination,  is 
standing  with  his  lyre  in  the  left  arm,  meditating  on  a  soft  lay.  He  holds  in  his  right 


20 


hand  the  plectrum  up  to  his  breast.  He  has  just  finished  his  lay  which  he  is  about  to 
recommence. 

When  this  statue  had  been  executed  in  marble  for  Countess  Worqnzoff,  the 
model  was  set  aside  and  no  more  used. 


k  ffttus  with  the 

(4  FEET  3  IN.) 

Eris,  the  Godess  of  discord,  enraged  at  being  the  only  one  of  the  celestials  who 
had  not  received  an  invitation  to  the  marriage  of  Peleus  with  the  silver-footed  Thetis, 
contrived  to  throw  into  the  assembly  of  thn  Gods  and  Goddesses  a  golden  apple 
having  the  words :  “Let  it  be  given  to  the  fairest,”  inscribed  upon  it.  Juno,  Minerva 
and  Venus  were  unanimously  acknowledged  the  most  worthy  to  contend  for  the  prize. 
The  Gods  unwilling  to  interfere  in  so  delicate  a  matter,  referred  the  claimants  to  Paris 
for  his  decision,  who  awarded  the  golden  apple  to  Venus.  Hence  Juno’s  unquenchable 
hatred  to  Paris  and  the  Trojans. 

Tiiorwaldsen  has  represented  Venus  holding  in  her  hand  the  prize  of  beauty  she 
had  won.  Her  gown,  which  upon  the  request  of  Paris  she  took  off,  is  thrown  over  a 
trunk,  while  glad  of  her  victory  she  lifts  u‘p  the  apple  in  her  right  hand,  and  again 
takes  the  gown  with  her  left,  to  conceal  her  charms. 

The  first  statue  representing  this  subject,  was  executed  in  marble  in  half  natural 
size  for  Countess  WoronzoeT,  and  the  second  for  Mr.  Von  Popp  of  Mittau,  Courland, 
but  soon  after,  when  several  other  orders  came  in,  Tiiorwaldsen  commenced  in  January, 
Tab.  1813>  another  execution  in  full  length  (4  feet  11  in.),  which  was  completed  in  May  1816. 
;XHI.  For  this  statue  in  marble  Tiiorwaldsen  received  two  orders,  one  from  Lord 
Lucan  and  one  from  the  Duchess  of  Devonshire.  Lord  Lucan  went  several  times  to 
Italy  to  accelerate  its  completion,  and  at  the  same  time  he  prevailed  upon  Tiiorwaldsen 
to  model  four  busts,  one  of  his  wife  and  one  of  each  of  his  three  daughters. 

In  the  year  1824,  this  copy  was  ready  to  be  shipped.  It  was  packed,  sent  to 
Leghorn  and  put  on  board ;  but  four  weeks  after,  the  sad  intelligence  was  received  in 
Rome  that  the  ship  had  been  wrecked  and  that  Tiiorwaldsen’s  Venus  had  gone  to  the 
bottom  of  the  ocean.  However,  like  a  genuine  Anadyomene,  Venus,  (Aphrodite) 
rose  out  of  the  sea  and  arrived  safely  in  England. 

In  May  1805,  Tiiorwaldsen  was  made  a  member  of  the  Copenhagen  Academy 
of  fine  arts  and  appointed  its  Professor,  and  a  diploma  of  August  16th,  made  him 
Socio  onorario  dell  ciccademia  nazionale  delle  belle  cirti  in  Bologna. 

The  talented  Marquis  Torlonia,  who  had  embellished  Palazzo  Bracciano  in  Rome 
with  Canova’s  famous  group,  Hercules  and  Lichas  (Lichas  was  the  servant  of 


21 


Hercules)  requested  Thorwaldsen  to  execute  a  colossal  group  as  a  rival  piece  to  that 
of  Canova,  leaving  it  to  himself  to  select  the  subject.  This  commission  must  have 
been  a  very  acceptable  one  to  our  artist,  the  more  so  as  lie  had  sketched  two  groups 
which  he  wished  to  execute.  Thorwaldsen  took  for  his  subject,  Achilles  and  Penthisilea , 
(Penthisilea  was  Queen  of  the  Amazons,  slain  by  Achilles),  which  he  had  sketched  four 
years  ago.  But  he  soon  changed  his  mind  and  selected  another  subject:  Mars  and 
Venus.  Yet,  when  he  had  completed  Mars  with  the  exception  of  the  right  arm  where¬ 
with  he  should  embrace  Venus,  this  work  was  from  unknown  reasons  suddenly 
abandoned,  and  the  almost  completed  model  of  Mars  was  used  for  a  specific  statue 
which  will  be  described  hereafter. 

It  has  been  related  in  several  periodicals  that  Thorwaldsen  this  year  was  busy 
with  the  execution  of  a  colossal  statue,  “  The  Liberty  ”  ordered  by  the  United  States 
of  America,  to  be  erected  in  Washington.  This  report,  however,  is  only  correct  thus 
far,  that  the  execution  of  such  a  statue  was  negotiated  between  the  United  States 
Consul  in  Leghorn  and  Thorwaldsen,  but  the  statue  was  never  executed. 

Mention  has  also  been  made  of  a  monument  which  a  private  society  would  erect 
for  Dante,  in  the  church  Santa  Croce  in  Florence.  The  execution  was  instruted  to 
Thorwaldsen,  but  an  unfavorable  conjuncture  of  circumstances  arrested  its  progress. 

In  the  year  1807,  Thorwaldsen  received  the  first  order  from  Denmark,  when  the  1807 
Countess  of  Schimmelmann  commissioned  him  to  execute 


fjf  aptimal  Jimt, 


Tab. 

XXIV. 


which  she  would  present  to  the  church  of  Brahe-Trolleborg  in  the  island  of  Fjunen. 
This  gave  him  not  only  an  opportunity  to  execute  a  work  of  art  for  his  fatherland,  but 
opened  to  him  a  new  field  in  the  Christian  art.  It  consists  of  a  parallelopipedon  on 
whose  four  sides  four  biblical  scenes  are  represented.  The  front  side  represents 


She  fajitisni  of  (Christ. 

(2  FEET  3  IN.  X  1  FOOT  82  IN.) 


Tab. 

XXV. 


Standing  in  the  river  Jordan,  the  Saviour  bends  himself,  with  his  arms  folded 
across  his  breast,  to  receive  from  John  the  Baptist  the  symbol  of  initiation.  To  the 
visage  and  attitude  of  Him  who  was  meek  and  lowly  in  heart,  the  most  beautiful 
expression  is  given.  The  Baptist  holding  the  agnusdei-staff  in  his  left  arm  and 
imbued  with  a  deep  feeling  for  his  high  calling,  lifts  with  dignity  a  concha,  wherewith 
he  pours  the  water  of  initiation  over  the  Saviour’s  sinless  head.  (This  bass-relief  was 


22 


Tab. 

XXV. 


Tab. 

XXVI. 


Tab. 

XXVII. 


cast  in  silver  by  Louis  Fortner  of  Prague,  Bohemia,  and  exhibited  in  1823).  One 
lateral  piece  represents 

with  the  (Child  g tm,  and  gohn. 

(2  FEET  3  IN.  X  1  FOOT  82  IN.) 

Mary  is  absorbed  in  quiet  meditation  ;  her  arms,  embracing  Jesus,  rest' in  her  lap. 
The  child,  turning  itself  in  the  motherly  embrace,  stretches  forth  the  left  arm  with 
caresses  towards  little  John  who,  with  the  agnusdei-staff  in  his  left  arm,  lays  quietly 
and  trustfully  his  right  hand  on  Mary’s  knee,  and  receives  with  adoration  the  child’s 
caresses. 

The  other  lateral  piece  represents 

(Chcist  fflfssiing  the  Cltildmt. 

(2  FEET  3  IN.  X  1  FOOT  82  IN.) 

The  very  moment  is  represented  when  Christ  pronounced  the  divine  words, 
“  Suffer  the  little  children  to  come  unto  me.”  The  youngest  of  the  little  ones  has 
of  its  own  accord  run  from  its  mother  to  the  mild  lover  of  children,  to  whose  knees  it 
clings,  while  the  elder  one  seems  to  be  sent  by  its  mother,  who,  after  folding  its  hands, 
takes  it  to  the  _  Master  that  it  may  receive  his  blessing.  Christ  himself  has  the 
expression  of  the  highest  purity  and  meekness. 

The  reverse  represents  Kj. 

$ltm  guvniug  JUiplsf. 

(2  FEET  3  IN.  X  1  FOOT  82  IN.) 

Whether  or  not  the  artist  here  has  aimed  at  anything  specific,  we  do  not  know, 
but  we  are  tempted  to  believe  that  the  holy  trifolium  of  the  Christian  virtues,  Faith , 
Hope  and  Charity ,  has  been  before  his  mental  eye. 

It  did  not  take  Thorwaldsen  more  than  one  year  to  execute  the  baptismal  font 
in  marble,  but  from  reasons  unknown  it  remained  in  Borne  until  1815,  when  it  was 
shipped  to  Denmark  and  placed  in  the  church  of  Brahe-Tiolleborg,  its  place  of 
destination. 

The  deep  love  which  Thorwaldsen  felt  for  the  remote  island  where  the  cradle  of 
his  ancestors  had  been  rocked,  made  it  almost  incumbent  upon  him  as  a  duty  to 
transmit  to  those  regions  a  salutation  in  the  shape  of  a  marble  work  from  his  own 
hand.  After  his  return  to  Borne  from  Denmark  in  1820,  he  concluded,  therefore,  to 
execute  another  copy  of  the  baptismal  font  which  he  intended  to  present  to  the  church 
of  Myklaby  in  Iceland. 


23 


It  was  completed  in  the  year  1827,  and  differs  only  from  the  preceding  one  by  a 
wreath  of  roses  that  lies  upon  and  embraces  the  baptismal  concave  vessel,  and  by  the 
following  inscription  beneath  the  angels  : 

Opus  hoc  Romae  fecit 
Et  Islandiac 
Terras  sibi  gentilicise 
Pietatis  causa  donavit 
Albertus  Thorwaldsen 
Anno  MDCCCXXVII. 

However,  this  baptismal  font  which  was  executed  in  the  finest  marble,  did  never 
see  Iceland.  A  Norwegian  merchant  bought  it  and  the  inscription  was  effaced. 

But  in  1839  a  similar  one  was  executed  and  sent  to  the  church  of  Myklaby. 

After  a  short  excursion  during  the  hot  summer  season,  Thorwaldsen  returned  in 
September  to  Rome,  deeply  dejected  in  mind  by  the  still  uncertain  accounts  of  the 
cruel  bombardment  of  Copenhagen  by  the  English. 

Besides  the  baptismal  font,  which  was  his  most  important  production  in  1807,  he  1807 
completed  by  this  time  his  bass-relief  “  The  dance  of  the  Muses  on  Helicon ,”  which  was 
commenced  in  the  year  1804. 

In  1808,  Thorwaldsen  was  received  into  the  Academy  San  Luca ,  in  Rome,  as 
Accademico  di  merito. 

Thorwaldsen  was  still  occupied  with  his  baptismal  font  for  the  church  of  Brahe- 
Trolleborg,  when  he  received  many  important  commissions  from  Denmark.  The 
palace  of  Christiansborg  and  the  Copenhagen  court  house  having  again  risen  from  their 
ashes,  gave  the  government  a  fair  opportunity  to  employ  its  own  son,  who  had  already 
so  highly  distinguished  himself  abroad,  and  Thorwaldsen  was  commissioned  to  execute 
for  the  court  house,  two  statues  of  the  Greek  Legislators,  Solon  and  Lycurg ,  as  also  a 
fronton  for  which  he  selected  to  represent  in  a  bass-relief 

gttjnto,  IJlium'a,  pcuicste,  (Otcamis  and  the  #aeth.  ^ 

Above  the  zodiac,  Jupiter ,  the  father  of  gods  and  men,  is  seen  on  his  elevated 
throne,  holding  a  sceptre  in  his  right  hand  and  a  thunderbolt  in  his  left,  while  the 
eagle,  with  expanded  wings,  stands  at  his  feet.  On  the  right,  upon  the  pedesta  lof  the 
throne,  Minerva  sits  with  an  olive  branch  (the  symbol  of  peace)  in  her  hand ;  at  her 
foot  stands  her  JEgis  (shield)  embossed  with  the  terrific  head  of  Medusa,  and  upon  it 
the  owl,  her  favorite  bird.  On  the  left  of  Jupiter  is  Nemesis ,  the  goddess  of  retribu¬ 
tion,  with  the  easily  turning  wheel  of  fortune,  arranged  in  symmetrical  proportion  to 
Minerva’s  iEgis.  Farthest  to  the  left  Oceanus,  the  sea-god,  rests  with  his  oar  and  the 


24 


Tab, 

XXIX. 


Tab, 

XXX. 


inexhaustible  urn,  while  gleeful  dolphins  play  around  him.  On  the  right  the  Earth. 
(gsea)  is  seen  with  the  cornucopiae  (the  horn  of  plenty)  in  her  hand,  and  the  prolific 
she-goat  at  her  feet. 

Thorwaldsen’s  sketch  of  this  work  was  modeled  by  his  talented  student,  Mr. 
Freund,  but  was  never  executed  in  marble,  and  when  in  1819  he  visited  Copenhagen 
and  saw  the  two  afore-mentioned  buildings,  he  proposed  to  execute  this  bass-relief  for 
the  frontispiece  of  the  palace,  and  instead  of  it  the  judgment  of  Solomon  for  the 
court  house.  But  neither  this  nor  the  two  statues  of  the  legislators  of  Greece  have 
ever  been  completed,  while  his  engagements  for  the  palace  proceeded  far  better.  The 
building  committee  had  already  then  engaged  Prof.  Dajon  to  execute  four  statues  for 
the  facade,  representing  Wisdom ,  Strength ,  Justice  and  Truth  to  be  placed  in  the 
four  niches  on  both  sides  of  the  main  entrance,  while  said  committee  engaged 
Thorwaldsen  to  execute  four  globular  bass-reliefs  corresponding  to  those  statues,  but 
no  certain  subject  was  prescribed  for  him,  the  selection  being  left  to  himself. 

In  regard  to  the  statue  of  Wisdom,  Thorwaldsen  represented  in  his  first  bass- 
relief  the  well-known  myth 

1.  Iptima  and  § wwdlwus. 

(Diam.  4  feet  9  IN.) 

Prometheus,  the  son  of  Japetus,  formed  skillfully  a  man  of  clay  and  invited 
Minerva  to  see  it.  Minerva,  the  goddess  of  wisdom,  placed  a  butterfly,  the  image  of 
the  soul,  upon  the  head  of  the  lifeless  man  of  clay  and  animated  him  with  fire,  which 
Prometheus  by  her  aid  had  stolen  from  heaven. 

Prometheus,  who  until  the  visit  of  Minerva  had  been  busy  with  his  work,  now 
rests  with  the  formative  stick  in  his  hand  and  with  his  eye  fixed  upon  the  goddess. 
She  takes  up  her  rich-wrought  gown  in  her  left  arm,  while  with  her  right  hand  she 
puts  the  butterfly,  the  image  of  the  soul,  upon  the  head  of  the  statue.  The  man  of 
clay  belonging  to  a  generation  inferior  to  gods  and  heroes,  is  represented  in  a  minor 
stature  standing  upon  a  small  pedestal.  The  awakening  life  shows  itself  already  in  the 
shrugging  of  the  shoulders,  and  in  the  head  turned  towards  the  visage  of  the  goddess. 

The  second  represents 


2.  Hcmtles  and  §!*&*. 

(Diam  4  feet  9  in.) 


When  Hercules,  after  the  turmoil  of  his  earthly  life  was  translated  to  the  skies 
and  raised  to  the  rank  of  a  god,  Hebe,  the  goddess  of  youth,  was  given  to  him  in 


25 


marriage, — a  beautiful  fiction  by  which  the  venerable  god  was  united  to  immortal 
youth.  From  her  hand  he  receives  the  nectar,  which  had  the  power  of  restoring 
to  youth. 

In  this  work  of  Tiiorwaldsen,  Hercules  seems  most  beautifully  to  unite  the  image 
of  bodily  strength  to  that  of  lassitude  after  the  performance  of  his  twelve  celebrated 
labors.  The  lion  skin  is  there,  but  is  fallen  down  and  uncovers  his  vigorous  body. 
The  indomitable  club  is  there,  but  is  now  only  a  support  for  his  feeble  right  arm, 
and  even  the  left,  in  which  he  holds  the  cup,  is  not  stretched  out  to  receive  the  gift 
of  the  goddess,  but  rests  bent  upon  his  thigh.  Hebe,  with  youthful  elasticit}’, 
attired  in  an  elegant  gown,  approaches  him  with  virgin  modesty,  and  while  with  her 
right  hand  lifting  the  vase  to  pour  out  the  nectar,  she  fastens  with  her  left  the 
position  of  the  cup  in  the  tottering  hand  of  the  hero. 

The  third  represents 


(Diam.  4  feet  9  IN.) 


Tab. 

XXXI. 


ISTemesis,  the  goddess  of  retributive  justice,  recites  to  Jupiter,  the  judge  of  the 
Supreme  Court,  all  the  deeds  of  men.  Her  right  foot  is  placed  upon  the  fatal  wheel, 
and  her  arm  is  resting  upon  a  pillar,  while  she  holds  in  her  hands  the  scroll  from  which 
she  recites.  Jupiter  sits  upon  his  awful  tribunal,  his  right  foot  rests  upon  a  footstool. 
In  his  divine  tranquillity  of  mind  he  listens  attentively  to  the  recitation,  and  pulls  with 
his  left  hand  his  thick  beard,  meditatively  leaning  his  elbow  upon  his  knee,  while 
the  bade  of  the  tribunal  is  encircled  by  his  right  arm,  that  holds  the  ever  ready 
thunder-bolt,  which  the  eagle  that  stands  close  by  recently  kept  in  its  talon. 

The  fourth  bass-relief  was  to  correspond  to  that  statue  which  should  represent 
Truth ,  but  the  indistinctly  written  letters  caused  Tiiorwaldsen  to  read  Sanity  instead 
of  Truth,  and  whilst  we  don’t  know  whether  this  misunderstanding  is  a  loss  or  a  gain, 
the  sculptural  work,  however,  which  he  executed,  silences  every  complaint. 

To  represent  Sanity,  Tiiorwaldsen  chose 


4.  JWsntlajmts  anti  ifintjcia. 

(Diam.  4  feet  9  in.) 


Tab. 

XXXIL 


Hygeia,  the  daughter  of  Aesculapius,  approaches  her  father  and  gives  the  snake, 
which  is  the  emblem,  of  recovery  of  heal  tip  something  to  eat.  Aesculapius  himself  is 
represented  sitting  with  his  left  arm  wrapped  up  in  his  mantle  and  holding  in  his  right 
hand  the  staff  round  which  the  snake  twists  itself.  Quietly  and  earnestly  Hygeia 


26 


approaches,  taking  with  her  left  hand  the  snake  to  the  cup,  which  with  her  right  she 
hands  to  it. 

These  four  bass-reliefs  were  completed  in  the  beginning  of  1810.  In  the  year 
1825  they  arrived  in  marble  in  Copenhagen,  and  were  placed  in  the  facade  of  the 
palace  of  Christiansborg. 

Another  copy  in  marble  was  ordered  by  the  Duke  of  Leuchtenberg,  but  it  did  not 
reach  Munich  until  after  the  death  of  the  noble  Duke,  and  it  was,  therefore,  sold  to 
the  Count  of  Schonborn  to  adorn  his  country  seat  at  Geibach. 

It  has  already  been  mentioned  how  the  group  Mars  and  Venus ,  which  Thor- 
waldsen,  in  1805,  commenced  to  execute  for  the  Marquis  Torlonia,  became  only  a 
single  statue,  representing 


Tab. 

XXXIII. 


m 


(8  feet.) 


The  god  of  war  has  returned  from  the  din  of  battle.  His  spear  rests  inverted  in 
his  left  arm,  over  which  his  mantle  has  sunk  down  from  his  shoulder.  The  helmet  lies 
at  his  foot.  His  sword  he  has  hung  over  the  stem  of  a  palm  tree  on  which  he  leans, 
and  in  his  right  he  holds  an  olive  twig,  the  emblem  of  peace.  Love  now  beckons  him 
to  milder  pleasures,  and  Ajihrodite’s  doves  are  already  at  his  feet. 

When  the  Bavarian  Ambassador,  authorized  by  the  Crown  prince  Louis,  by  this 
time  engaged  Thorwaldsen  to  execute  a  work  of  art  for  His  Royal  Highness,  Thor- 
waldsen  proposed  his  Mars.  The  proposal  was  accepted,  and  in  1808  it  was  completed. 
But  meanwhile  another  statue  arose  in  Tiiorwaldsen’s  studio  in  Rome,  which  still 
more  attracted  the  general  attention,  and  which  the  art-loving  crown  prince  of  Bavaria 
so  warmly  admired  that  he  preferred  it  to  that  of  Mars.  This  statue  represents 


Tab, 

XXXIV. 


(5  FEET  11  IN.) 


Adonis,  a  beautiful  youth  beloved  by  Venus,  is  represented  resting  himself  after 
hunting.  His  hip  supports  the  left  arm  ;  his  right  side  leans  upon  a  trunk,  over  which 
he  has  thrown  his  mantle  and  hung  a  hare,  his  hunting  booty.  In  his  right  arm  rests 
his  javelin,  turned  towards  the  ground. 

The  model  of  this  statue  in  preternatural  size  was  commenced  in  the  spring  of 
1808,  completed  in  July,  and  in  1810  sculptured  in  marble. 

While  in  1820  Tiiorwalusen  had  left  Rome,  this  celebrated  work  was  very  near 
its  destruction.  By  a  collapse  several  statues,  together  with  the  floor,  fell  down  and 


27 


were  greatly  injured.  Adonis  stood  on  the  frail  boards  close  to  the  aperture  and 
would  have  been  utterly  destroyed  had  it  not  been  for  the  presence  of  mind  of  some 
of  his  students. 

Adonis  received  from  Canoya  a  still  higher  encomium  than  Jason  and  Mars. 
Madam  Brun  tells  us  that  when  the  model  was  completed  she  was  surprised  in  Albano 
by  a  visit  from  Canova.  During  a  morning  promenade  in  the  beautiful  Villa  Doria, 
Can ova  met  her  and  asked,  “  Avete  veduto  quell1  ultima  statuetta  del  vestro  compatriota  ?  ” 
that  is  :  “Have  you  seen  the  last  little  statue  of  your  countryman?”  She  answered 
that  the  parching  heat  in  Rome  had  prevented  her  from  seeing  it,  when  Canova 
exclaimed  with  animation,  “  questa  statuetta  e  bella  6  nobile  e  plena  di  sentimento ;  il 
vestro  amico  davvero  6  un  uomo  dvcino  !  ”  that  is  :  This  statue  is  beautiful,  it  is  noble 
and  full  of  feeling !  in  truth  your  friend  is  a  divine  man  and  he  exclaimed  in  French, 
“  11  est  pourtant  dommage  queje  ne  sols  plus  jeune .” 

Thoravaldsen  was  never  idle.  Before  this  year  had  expired,  he  executed  a  bass- 
relief  which  ranks  amongst  the  most  celebrated  of  all  his  works.  Deeply  convinced 
that  in  every  artistic  endeavor  it  is  the  spirit  which  suggests  light  and  life  to  the 
production,  Thoravaldsen  executed  this  highly  ingenious  Avork,  which  taking  its  rise 
from  an  inner  impulse  to  express  that  which  most  deeply  moved  his  own  soul,  seems 
rather  to  have  been  executed  for  himself  than  for  others. 

This  work,  which  in  all  its  grand  simplicity,  is  the  most  demonstrative  expression 
of  one  of  the  highest  ideas  of  the  art,  has  been  baptized  by  the  appropriate  name, 

JV  dfwio  ffuttun. 

(2  FEET  1  5  IN.  X  2  FEET  10  IN.) 

It  represents  the  polite  art,  under  the  image  of  a  woman  in  sitting  attitude,  that 
leans  her  cheek  on  the  left  hand,  and  sketches  on  a  slate  that  rests  on  the  right  knee, 
which  is  laid  across  the  left.  At  her  side  a  pedestal  stands,  on  which  a  lamp  burns 
that  gives  her  light.  At  the  foot  of  the  pedestal  Minerva’s  oavI  (the  emblem  of  wisdom) 
and  a  lyre  are  seen,  by  Avliich  an  allusion  is  made  to  the  close  union  which  exists 
between  literature  and  poetry.  But  neither  those  nor  her  deep  meditation  can  achieve 
anything,  before  the  Avinged  Genius  has  approached  and  poured  oil  into  the  lamp. 

The  first  performance  of  this  bass-relief  is  of  a  rectangular  form,  which  Thor- 
waldsen  has  unchanged  reproduced  in  half  size.  Both  are  executed  in  marble,  and 
it  has  already  been  mentioned  that  Avlien  Thoravaldsen  sent  his  Jason  to  Hope ,  he 
accompanied  it  Avitli  a  copy  of  this  bass-relief. 

Thoravaldsen  soon  srav  that  both  the  idea  and  the  composition  adapted  it  fbr  a 
medal,  Avhich  induced  him  to  make  still  an  alteration,  by  Avhich  this  artistic  production 


Tab, 

XXXV. 


28 


seems  to  have  reached  perfection.  He  made  the  pedestal  smaller,  which  enabled  him 
better  to  group  the  figures  of  the  woman  and  of  the  winged  Genius.  Thus  he  repro- 
Tab.  1L  duced  it  en  medallion ,  after  which  the  engraver  Brandt  of  Berlin,  in  1817,  cut  the 
reverse  of  a  medal  on  whose  front  side  is  seen  the  portrait  of  Thorwaldsen,  with  the 
legend  :  A.  Thorwaldsen ,  JDanus  Sculptor. 

1809  No  small  loss  did  Thorwaldsen  the  next  year  suffer  by  the  death  of  George 
Zoega.  Though  on  account  of  his  merciless  criticism  this  man  never  pleased  Thor¬ 
waldsen,  he  confessed,  however,  willingly  that  Zoega’s  deep  insight  and  judicious 
remarks  had  often  been  of  incalculable  benefit  to  him,  and .  when  death  at  length 
untied  that  tie  of  friendship,  which  founded  on  mutual  esteem  had  long  united  them, 
Thorwaldsen  remembered  him  with  lasting  gratitude,  showed  the  surviving  children 
an  almost  paternal  affection,  and  modeled  his  bust  and  drew  his  portrait. 

About  this  time  the  Russian  General  Balk  who  was  then  in  Rome,  requested 
Thorwaldsen  to  execute  a  bass-relief,  the  subject  of  which  was  to  be  taken  from  the 
6th  book  of  Iliad,  v.  318-368.  Thorwaldsen  complied  with  the  request  and  repre¬ 
sented,  in  accordance  with  the  text, 


Tab. 

XXXVI. 


(2  FEET  II3  IN.  X  2  FEET  Is  IN.) 


Hector  and  Paris  were  the  sons  of  Priam,  king  of  Troy.  Helena  was  the  daughter 
of  Tyndarus  and  Leda,  and  wife  of  Menelaus.  Her  elopement  with  Paris  was  the 
cause  of  the  siege  of  Troy.  She  was  the  most  beautiful  woman  of  her  age. 

When  Paris  had  to  yield  in  his  single  combat  with  Menelaus,  Aphrodite  took  him 
aside  to  the  castle,  where  in  Helena’s  embrace  he  forgot  the  combat  in  voluptuous 
enjoyment.  Meanwhile  Hector,  together  with  the  Trojans,  is  pressed  hard  by  the 
Greek  arms,  and  with  his  long  spear  he  hastens  angry  to  the  castle,  to  summon  Paris 
to  the  combat.  He  finds  Paris  busy  with  his  stately  arms,  and  Helena  he  finds  amongst 
her  handmaids.  Then  he  accosts  Paris  with  censorious  words. 

Paris  is  sitting  on  a  large  pedestal,  by  which  Thorwaldsen  designates  the  chamber. 
Beneath  his  left  foot  he  has  a  foot  stool,  and  his  right  arm  he  leans  idly  on  the  back 
of  the  chair,  while  the  left  rests  remissly  on  his  thigh.  His  head  is  drooped,  and 
without  changing  his  posture  he  lifts  his  eye  towards  Hector.  His  weapons  which  he 
has  just  been  furbishing,  are  flung  down  at  the  side  of  the  chair.  At  his  left  side  Helena 
is  busy  with  her  needle  work  spread  over  a  basket.  By  bitter  reproaches  she  has  sought 
to  rouse  her  lover  to  manly  conduct,  but  her  beauty  has  not  suffered  thereby ;  she  is 
absorbed  in  the  sweet  tranquillity  she  enjoys  in  her  chamber.  At  the  entrance  Hector 
stands  raging,  with  one  foot  inside  of  the  threshold.  On  his  head  he  has  his  helmet, 


29 


in  his  right  hand  his  huge  spear.  His  sword  hangs  high  below  his  heart,  and  his  left  hand 
which  he  leans  on  his  hip,  has  in  the  height  of  his  passion  been  entangled  in  his  mantle. 

General  Balk’s  pecuniary  circumstances  had  meanwhile  undergone  such  an 
unhappy  change  as  to  make  it  impossible  for  him  to  keep  his  contract  and  buy  this 
work,  which,  though  elegantly  executed  in  marble,  had  for  several  years  to  wait  for 
another  purchaser,  when  finally  J.  Knudsen,  a  wealthy  merchant  of  Drontheim, 
Norway,  bought  it. 

His  Highness,  Prince  Malte  Putbus  of  the  island  of  Riigen,  who,  as  before  stated, 
had  bought  Cupid  and  Psyche,  now  engaged  Thorwaldsen  to  execute  the  following 
four  bass-reliefs  • 

l.  ®ujtid,  the  jpon-Samee. 

(1  FOOT  5  IN.  X  1  FOOT  3llN.) 

The  God  of  love  is  here  represented  as  the  subduer  of  even  the  most  ferocious 
animals.  With  one  hand  he  holds  himself  fast  by  the  mane  of  the  lion.  In  the  other 
he  exultingly  carries  his  arrow,  by  which  he  spurs  on  the  lion.  On  his  back,  under  his 
wings,  he  carries  his  quiver. 

a.  She  firth  of  jVpheeidtte. 

(1  FOOT  5  IN  X  9  IN.) 

Aphrodite,  the  Greek  name  of  Yenus,  arose,  according  to  the  myth,  from  the 
foam  of  the  sea.  She  is  generally  represented  opening  a  concha,  in  which  she  is 
carried  to  the  shores  of  Cyprus  ;  for  the  fable  says  that  it  was  to  the  shores  of  this 
island  that  the  waves  of  the  sea  gently  carried  her,  after  she  had  risen  from  its  foam. 

Thorwaldsen  has  represented  the  goddess  at  the  very  moment  when  she  the  first 
time  views  the  world  which  she  is  destined  to  rule.  With  her  left  hand  she  still  holds 
the  concha  that  recently  was  her  shelter.  As  soon  as  she  drops  it,  she  enters  newborn 
into  the  world.  With  the  right  hand  she  wipes  her  wet  locks.  On  both  sides  of  the 
concha  a  dolphin  is  symmetrically  placed. 

The  subject  for  the  third  bass-relief  Thorwaldsen  took  from  the  40th  ode  of 
Anacreon. 

3.  dtojntl  ^founded  Iw  the  fee. 

(1  FOOT  8  IN.  X  1  FOOT  63  IN.) 

Thus  read  the  words  of  Anacreon,  metrically  translated  by  Thomas  Moore  : 

“  Cupid  once  upon  a  bed 
Of  roses,  laid  his  weary  head  ; 


Tab. 

XXXVIL 


Tab. 

XXXVIIL 


Tab, 

XXXIX, 


30 


Luckless  urchin,  not  to  see 
Within  the  leaves  a  slumbering  bee. 

The  bee  awaked — with  anger  wild, 

The  bee  awaked  and  stung  the  child. 

Loud  and  piteous  are  his  cries, 

To  Venus  quick  he  runs — he  flies — 

‘Oh  mother! — I  am  wounded  through— 

I  die  with  pain — in  sooth  I  do ! 

Stung  by  some  little  angry  thing, 

Some  serpent  on  a  tiny  wing — 

A  bee  it  was — for  once  I  know 
I  heard  a  rustic  call  it  so.’ 

Thus  he  spoke,  and  she  the  while 
Heard  him  with  a  soothing  smile. 

Then  said,  ‘  My  infant,  if  so  much 
Thou  feci  the  little  wild  bee's  touch 
How  must  the  heart,  oh  Cupid !  be 
The  hapless  heart  that’s  stung  by  thee  !  ’ 

The  idea  pervading  this  beautiful  little  poem  Tiiorwaldsen  has  embodied  in 
marble.  With  the  plucked  off  rose- in  his  left  hand  Cupid. clings  in  his  pain  to  the 
knee  of  his  mother.  Weeping  he  stretches  his  wounded  'finger  towards  her,  as  if  he 
wished  her  to  breath  on  it ;  but  Yenus  grasps  his  little  hand  with  a  smile,  in  which  her 
answer  is  plainly  expressed.  Behind  Cupid,  a  rosebush  is  seen,  over  which  the  bee 
flutters  ;  close  to  Yenus  the  Dionean  pair  of  doves  are  seen,  by  which  her  chariot 
was  said  to  be  drawn. 

The  fourth  bass-relief  which  Thorwaldsen  executed  for  the  Prince,  represents 


Tab  k  ||twitnr,  fkethus  and  fun. 

VT 

U‘  (1  FOOT  65  IN.  X  1  FOOT  8  IN.) 

When  Jupiter  for  three  months  had  hidden  the  infant  Bacchus  from  the  jealousy 
of  Juno,  he  sent  Mercury  with  the  child  to  Semele’s  sister,  Ino,  Queen  of  Bacotia,  to 
orevail  upon  her  to  bring  up  the  child. 

Ino  is  represented  sitting  with  a  fawn-skin  over  her  arms,  in  which  she  receives 
the  child  that  from  the  hands  of  Mercury  stretches  itself  towards  her.  A  copy  of  this 
bass-relief  was  ordered  by  Lord  Lucan. 

1810  In  the  beginning  of  the  year  1810,  Tiiorwaldsen,  who  by  this  time  was  honored 
by  the  King  of  Denmark  with  the  Golden  Cross  of  Dannebroge,  was  occupied  with  the 


31 


execution  in  marble  of  the  bass-reliefs  which  had  been  ordered  for  the  facade  of  the 
palace  of  Christiansborg. 


He  had  long  been  intimately  acquainted  with  Cammuccini,  the  great  Italian 


painter  of  historical  representations.  He  concluded  to  sculpture  in  marble  the  bust 
of  this  great  artist,  which  he  finished  this  year  in  the  month  of  March. 

About  this  time,  Thorwaldsen  together  with  Rauch,  a  younger  sculptor, 
undertook  to  repair  a  handsome  and  valuable  bass-relief  which  half  a  century  ago 
had  been  found  in  Villa  Palombara,  representing  the  three  Fates  :  Clotho,  Lachesis 
and  Atropos.  This  work  of  art  Madam  Yon  Humboldt  had  bought  from  the  family 
Massimi,  and  given  it  in  charge  to  Thorwaldsen  for  restoration. 

But  before  the  end  of  this  year,  our  artist  undertook  another  work,  which  for  his 
own  personal  history  is  of  great  value.  The  Danish  Consul-General  West  in  Paris, 
just  then  sojourning  in  Rome,  wished  to  possess  a  colossal  bust  of  Thorwaldsen  Tab.  I. 
himself  in  marble,  and  asked  him  to  sculpture  it.  No  doubt,  Thorwaldsen  accepted 
with  great  pleasure  this  homage,  and  already  in  the  month  of  June  the  bust  was  cast 
in  plaster.  However,  it  was  not  sculptured  in  marble  before  1815,  when  West 
revisited  Rome,  and  when  he  some  years  after  died,  the  bust  was  sold  to  the  King  of 
Denmark.  It  remained  in  Thorwaldsen’s  studio  in  Rome  until  the  year  1825,  when 
it  was  shipped  to  Denmark  and  by  the  King  presented  to  the  Academy  of  fine  arts.  * 

In  addition  to  this  Thorwaldsen  finished,  in  the  spring  of  this  year,  the  bust  of 
the  handsome  and  gifted  Miss  Ida  Brun,  afterwards  Countess  of  Bombelles. 

Only  those  busts  were  this  year  exhibited  in  the  Roman  Capitolium,  and  as  the 
heat  in  summer  is  very  oppressive  and  disagreeable  in  Rome,  Thorwaldsen  gave  his 
chisel  rest  and  went  to  his  friends  in  Montenero,  whence  he  returned  in  October  and 
commenced  several  important  works  of  art,  of  which  the  first  was  a  bass-relief 
representing 


Tab. 

LXi 


(2  FEET  4  IN.  X  1  FOOT  82  IN. ) 


The  God  of  wine,  wreathed  with  ivy  and  grapes  in  the  rich  locks,  rests  upon  one 
of  the  rocks  of  the  isle  of  Kaxos,  over  which  a  tiger  skin  is  spread.  His  soft,  effemi¬ 


nate  body  is  only  half  covered  by  his  mantle,  behind  him  lies  the  thyrsus,  his  attribute. 


In  his  left  hand  he  holds  the  urn,  whilst  his  arm  is  leaning  on  the  rock.  With  the 


*  Besides  his  bust  has  been  executed  by  Rauch,  Schadow,  Wolff,  Tenerani,  Bissen  and  Bokup.  He  has 
been  painted  by  Eokeesberg,  Begas,  Yogel,  Heinrich  Hess,  Senff,  Hoenemann,  Lindau.  Blunok,  Jensen, 
Horace  Vernet  and  Gertner.  His  portrait  is  engraved  in  steel  by  Amsler,  Clemens  and  Heuer,  and  during  bis 
last  visit  in  Copenhagen,  Thorwaldsen  modeled  hi3  own  portrait  in  full  size,  leaning  upon  the  genius  of  hope. 


32 


right  arm,  whose  elbow  leans  upon  his  hip,  he  hands  Cupid  the  bowl.  The  little 
winged  god  lusting  after  the  verjuice  that  makes  him  forget  his  quiver,  grasps  the  bowl 
with  both  hands.  At  the  foot  of  the  rock  on  which  Bacchus,  half  sitting,  half  lying,  rests, 
a  spotted  panther  has  taken  its  seat,  to  catch  the  drops  flowing  down  from  the  tankard. 

This  handsome  bass-relief  was  executed  in  marble  for  J.  Knudsen  of  Drontheim, 
Norway,  and  has  found  a  eulogist  in  every  competent  connoisseur. 

The  next  work  which  Thorwaldsen  executed  after  his  return  to  Rome  from 
Montenero,  was  a  bass-relief  representing 

Tab. 

XLIL 

Thorwaldsen  has  here  not  only  represented  motherly  love,  but  at  the  same  time 
Christian  charity.  “Now  abideth  faith,  hope,  charity,  these  three,  but  the  greatest 
of  these  is  charity.”  1  Cor.  xiii.  13. 

The  young,  handsome  mother  presses  with  motherly  tenderness  her  one  child  to 
her  bosom,  while  the  other  child  gently  takes  her  to  a  suffering  fellow  being.  She  is 
represented  walking  fast,  for  love  is  ardently  disposed  to  render  speedy  assistance. 
The  boy  going  in  advance,  in  whose  visage  the  intercession  of  his  innocent  heart  is 
expressed,  pulls  his  mother’s  gown  and  draws  her  after  him.  He  stretches  out  his  left 
arm  and  points  with  his  fore-finger  to  the  object  of  their  walk. 

The  first  sketch  of  this  bass  relief  was  made,  when  the  baptismal  font  for  the 
church  of  Brahe-Trolleborg  occupied  Thorwaldsen’s  time,  but  was  then  supplanted 
by  the  more  Biblical  subject :  Mary  with  the  child  Jesus ,  and  John. 

But  in  the  year  1810,  Thorwaldsen  resumed  this  work,  and  executed  it  the  first 
time  in  marble  for  the  Marquis  of  Landsdown. 

Some  years  after  an  opportunity  offered  itself  to  him  to  execute  it  the  second 
time  in  marble.  The  use  he  made  of  this  marble  copy  clearly  manifested  his  devotion 
to  the  afflicted  portion  of  humanity,  and  that  he  subscribed  to  the  words  of  the  English 
writer,  Stillingfleet  :  “A  man  must  have  great  impudence  to  profess  himself  a 
Christian,  and  yet  to  think  himself  not  obliged  to  do  acts  of  charity.” 

A  Norwegian  civil  officer,  and  father  of  a  large  family  had  been  so  unfortunate 
as  not  to  be  able  to  give  account  for  money  received.  He  was  imprisoned,  and  saw 
no  means  of  liberation,  unless  some  friends  of  humanity  who  knew  his  respectable 
antecedents,  would  furnish  the  sum  necessary  for  his  liberation. 

Thorwaldsen  was  not  personally  acquainted  with  the  unfortunate  man,  but  no 
sooner  was  the  event  with  all  its  sad  details  related  to  him,  than  he  offered  his  Caritas 


tote  (Chrotir.) 

2  FEET  1 2  IN.  X  1  FOOT  5  IN. 


33 


in  marble  to  those  who  interested  themselves  in  the  unhappy  man’s  liberation.  But 
before  this  beautiful  work  of  art  had  found  a  purchaser,  the  sufferer  died. 

This  noble  act  was  mentioned  in  Revue  Encylop,  1823  T.  XVIII.  page  442,  in 
Andre  Hesperus,  1823,  33d  vol.  No.  219  ;  in  the  Copenhagen  Evening  Post,  1822  ; 
and  in  the  Copenhagen  “Dagblad”  was  printed  Thorwaldsen’s  letter  to  the  unfortu¬ 
nate  man,  dated  Rome,  May  24th,  1822.  Ibid,  1823,  No.  104  was  an  invitation  in 
Latin  from  several  Norwegians  to  purchase  this  marble  work. 

Besides  this  work,  we  have  this  year  from  Thorwaldsen’s  hand  a  bass-relief  that 
represents 


©ujiirt  and  fsgthe. 

(2  FEET  7  IN.  X  1  FOOT  7  IN.) 


Tab. 

XL1IL 


One  of  the  most  charming  fictions  transmitted  to  us  from  antiquity,  amongst 
others  from  the  writer  Apuleius,  who  lived  during  the  reign  of  the  Roman  Emperor 
Hadrian,  117  A.  D.,  is  that  of  Cupid  and  Psyche.  Psyche,  who  had  already  under¬ 
gone  severe  trials,  was  ordered  by  Venus  to  descend  into  Orcus  itself,  and  to  fetch 
from  Proserpina,  the  Queen  of  hell,  a  box  containing  the  highest  charms  of  beauty. 
Psyche  obeyed  the  behest  of  the  jealous  and  cruel  goddess,  surmounted  all  difficulties, 
and  ventured  down  to  the  gloomy  regions.  The  box  was  delivered  to  her,  but  with 
the  strict  injunction  not  to  open  it.  But  scarcely  had  she  left  the  dominions  of  Pluto, 
when  curiosity  induced  her  to  open  the  box.  She  was  instantly  involved  in  a  noxious 
vapor,  that  made  her  unconscious,  and  she  would  never  have  risen  again,  had  not 
Cupid,  her  invisible  protector,  hastened  to  her  assistance.  He  restored  her  to  life, 
collected  the  vapor  again  into  the  box,  and  conducted  his  dear  Psyche  safely  to  the 
throne  of  Jupiter,  there  proclaiming  her  his  lawful  wife  and  supplicating  for  her 
admission  among  the  immortals.  Jupiter  complied  with  his  request. 

Thorwaldsen  has  represented  the  very  moment,  when  Cupid  hastens  to  assist 
Phyche.  He  has  already  half  raised  her  beautiful  body  from  the  ground,  and  while  by 
his  knee  on  which  she  leans  her  right  arm,  he  holds  her  erect,  he  stretches  out  his  left 
to  remove  the  box  from  which  the  noxious  vapor  emanated.  With  his  right  hand  he 
takes  an  arrow  from  his  quiver  that  by  touching  her  breast  with  its  point  he  may 
restore  her  to  life.  Cupid  has  laid  aside  his  bow,  and  with  his  expanded  wings  he 
fans  away  the  noxious  vapor.  Psyche  whose  head  rests  on  his  shoulder,  is  half  muffled 
up.  In  one  hand  she  holds  the  box,  in  the  other  its  lid. 

A  copy  in  marble  of  this  work  was  bought  by  a  Mr.  Dalmar,  a  lover  of  science 
and  the  arts. 


34 


But  Thorwaldsen  soon  executed  another  bass-relief  no  less  remarkable, 
representing 

fttkro,  Vmts,  (ftijiid  and  maw. 

(3  FEET  62  IN.  X  2  FEET  6  IN.) 

The  45th  ode  of  Anacreon  suggested  the  subject  to  him.  Thus  sound  the  words 
of  Anacreon,  translated  by  Thomas  Moore  : 

“As  in  the  Lemnian  caves  of  fire, 

The  mate  of  her  who  nurs’d  desire, 

Moulded  the  glowing  steel,  to  form 
Arrows  for  Cupid,  thrilling  warm ; 

And  Venus  every  barb  imbues 
With  droppings  of  her  honied  dews ; 

While  Love  (alas !  the  victim  heart), 

Tinges  with  gall  the  burning  dart ; 

Once,  to  this  Lemnian  cave  of  flame, 

The  crested  Lord  of  battles  came  ; 

’Twas  from  the  ranks  of  war  he  rushed, 

His  spear  with  many  a  life-drop  blushed ! 

He  saw  the  mystic  darts,  and  smiled 
Derision  on  the  archer-child. 

‘  And  dost  thou  smile  ?  (said  little  Love), 

Take  this  dart,  and  thou  may’st  prove, 

That  tho’  they  pass  the  breezes  flight, 

My  bolts  are  not  so  feathery — light.’ 

He  took  the  shaft — and  oh  !  thy  look 
Sweet  Venus !  when  the  shaft  he  took- 
He  sigh’d — and  felt  the  urchin’s  art — 

He  sigh’d  in  agony  of  heart : 

‘It  is  not  light — I  die  with  pain — 

Take — take  thy  arrow  back  again,’ 

‘  No,’  said  the  child — ‘  it  must  not  be, 

That  little  dart  was  made  for  thee !  ’  ” 

In  accordance  with  this  poem  Thorwaldsen  has  on  the  left  side  of  this  bass-relief 
rperesented  Vulcan,  the  lame  god  of  fire,  the  inimitable  artist  of  Lemnos,  who  bow- 
bent  and  absorbed  in  his  work,  is  forging  an  arrow  for  Cupid.  On  his  head  he  wears 
a  round  cap  ;  his  left  hand  holds  with  his  pincers  the  arrow  to  the  anvil.  His  mantle 
hangs  down  from  the  left  shoulder  around  his  waist  where  it  is  tied  together  ;  the  right 
arm  lifts  the  hammer.  The  lameness  of  Vulcan,  the  artist  has  happily  expressed  by 
placing  the  shorter  leg  upon  the  foot  of  the  anvil.  Nearest  to  him  Venus  sits  half 


35 


covered  by  her  gown,  her  right  foot  bearing  the  left,  rests  on  the  anvil.  On  her  knee 
she  holds  fast  in  the  left  hand  a  bowl  with  honey,  in  which  Cupid  has  mixed  some  gall 
into  which  she  dips  the  forged  arrows.  Her  eyes  meet  Mars,  the  god  of  war,  who 
has  just  stepped  in  and  laid  down  his  helmet.  He  wears  his  mantle  on  the  left  arm, 
which  he  leans  upon  his  hip.  In  his  right  hand  he  holds  one  of  Cupid’s  poisoned 
arrows,  as  if  he  would  give  it  back,  while  at  the  same  time  he  tries  how  heavy  it  is. 
But  Cupid,  who  stands  between  him  and  Y enus,  and  has  robbed  him  of  his  spear  says : 
“  Ho,  it  must  not  be,  that  little  dart  was  made  for  thee.”  Beneath  the  chair  of  Venus, 
the  loving  pair  of  doves  are  seen 

This  bass-relief  was  sculptured  in  marble  for  a  Mr.  Alexander  Bille.  The 
composition  of  this  work  recalled  Thorwaldsen’s  mind  to  the  statue  of  Mars,  men¬ 
tioned  among  his  works  of  the  year  1808,  and  inspired  him  with  courage  to  re-mold 
it  into  a  group,  representing 

fgte  and  (Cupid 

(8  FEET.) 

In  this  group  Thorwaldsen  has  represented  the  main  idea  of  the  above-stated 
ode  of  Anacreon. 

Mars  had  received  one  of  Cupid’s  arrows  to  try  its  weight.  He  will  give  it  back, 
but  Cupid  answers  him  knavishly  :  “Ho,  keep  it,  that  little  dart  was  made  for  thee.” 

The  alteration  which  Thorwaldsen  had  made  in  the  attitude  of  Mars,  consists 
mainly  in  his  head  being  bent  towards  Cupid,  and  in  his  right  hand  being  a  little  raised, 
in  which  he  weighs  the  arrow.  Cupid  crowned  with  roses,  has  thrown  away  his  quiver, 
holding  instead  of  it  the  heavy  sword  of  Mars,  while  with  his  finger  on  his  chin  he 
sends  an  exulting  smile  to  mighty  Mars. 

This  colossal  group  was  at  Thorwaldsen’s  own  expense  executed  in  fine  marble. 

The  rural  life  in  Montenero,  whereto  Thorwaldsen  the  previous  year  had  taken 
refuge,  to  avoid  the  Roman  aria  cattiva,  is  represented  in  two  small,  but  beautiful 
works,  that  give  us  an  image  of  the  quiet  rural  life  in  which  the  most  beautiful  genii 
of  nature  had  undisturbed  played  around  him.  To  represent  this,  he  made  in  his 
studio  in  Montenero  two  sketches,  Summer  and  Harvest,  which  after  his  return  to 
Rome,  in  the  year  1811,  were  executed  in  bass-reliefs 

1.  J>umttUT. 

(2  FEET  4\  IN.  X  1  FOOT  7  IN.) 

Two  boys  are  plucking  pears.  A  basket  full  of  them  is  placed  by  the  pear  tree. 
One  boy  holds  on  to  the  basket  with  the  right  hand,  and  bears  on  his  shoulders  the 


Tab. 

XLV, 


1811 


Tab. 

XLYI, 


36 


other  boy,  who  clinging  fast  to  a  branch,  grasps  the  fruit  with  his  left  hand.  A  Cupid 
is  hovering  down  to  them,  caressing  a  swan,  whose  neck  he  tenderly  presses  to  his 
bosom.  Behind  this  group,  the  ripe  corn  with  its  undulating  ears  is  seen. 


Tab. 
XL  VII. 


2. 


(2  FEET  41  IN  X  1  FOOT  7  IN.) 


This  idea  has  often  been  represented  in  the  antique  art,  but  hardly  anywhere 
more  beautifully  than  here.  In  one  of  his  odes  Anacreon  requested  Hephaistos 
(Vulcan),  to  form  a  silver  cup  imaging  Cupid,  Bacchus  and  Bathyllus,  Anacreon's 
favorite,  busy  with  pressing  grapes  in  the  shade  of  the  vines.  Thorwaldsen  followed 
this  allusion.  His  bass-relief  is  on  both  sides  filled  with  branches  heavy  with  grapes. 
An  amphora  stands  on  the  right  side  close  to  the  filled  grape  vessel,  into  which  Cupid 
and  Bacchus,  while  dancing  and  embracing  each  other,  press  the  grapes,  while 
Bathyllus  pours  from  the  upset  basket  his  harvest  into  the  vessel.  These  two  bass- 
reliefs  were  executed  in  marble,  in  the  year  1811,  for  Count  Schonborn.  Some  time 
after,  Thorwaldsen  completed  the  two  corresponding  ones,  representing  Spring  and 
Winter.  The  latter  was  finished  in  1824,  and  will  be  mentioned  in  its  proper  place. 

About  by  this  time  Thorwaldsen  executed  his  celebrated 


Tab. 

XLVIIL 


ausfllotm  Jhtijttsta  Rohmer, 


upon  the  request  of  Prof,  and  Aulic  Councilor  F.  W.  J.  Schelling,  who  had  been 
arried  to  the  mother  of  Augusta. 

Augusta  Bohmer  was  daughter  of  Dr.  Bohmer  in  Clausthal ;  her  mother,  known 
as  an  authoress  under  the  name  of  Caroline  Schelling,  was  daughter  of  the  learned 
Prof.  Michaelis  of  Gdttingen.  After  Bohmer’s  death,  she  married  A.  W.  Schlegel, 
which  marriage,  however,  was  soon  dissolved,  and  the  third  time  she  married  Prof. 
F.  W.  J.  Schelling.  She  died  in  1809. 

Augusta  Bohmer,  a  fruit  of  the  first  marriage,  was  actress  in  Weimar.  She  was 
not  distinguished  by  her  beauty,  but  by  great  amiability,  which  made  her  adored  in 
the  literary  circle  in  which  she  moved. 

Her  early  death  was  accompanied  by  a  peculiar  circumstance,  which  induced 
Thorwaldsen  to  make  one  of  his  finest  compositions.  Augusta’s  mother  became 
dangerously  ill.  The  daughter  accompanied  her  to  Booklet,  a  Bavarian  watering 
place,  where  she  nursed  her  excellent  mother  with  so  great  self-sacrifice,  that  she  took 
ill  herself  and  died,  while  her  mother  was  restored  to  health. 

This  mausoleum,  by  which  Thorwaldsen  in  a  certain  degree  has  immortalized 


37 


filial  love,  consists  of  three  bass-reliefs.  The  main  part  (2  feet  by  2  feet  7  in.)  repre¬ 
sents  the  feeble  mother  sitting  on  a  seat  that  bears  the  staff  of  Aesculapius,  the  symbol 
of  the  beginning  recovery.  Augusta  stands  before  her  as  an  Hygeia,  handing  with 
both  her  hands  the  bowl  to  her  mother,  from  which  she  imbibes  life  and  health.  But 
the  snake  of  Hygeia  (her  attribute),  that  saves  the  mother,  kills  the  daughter  by  craftily 
wounding  her  in  the  heel.  One  lateral  piece,  (1  foot  63  in.  by  2  feet  7  in.)  represents 
the  winged  Nemesis,  that  records  the  great  self-sacrifice,  which  filial  love  has  brought ; 
the  other  lateral  piece  (1  foot  63  in.  by  2  feet  7  in.)  represents  the  genius  of  death 
wreathed  with  poppies,  leaning  quietly  and  wofully  his  arms  and  his  head  upon  an 
inverted  flambeau. 

The  last  mentioned  bass-relief,  the  genius  of  death,  Thorwaldsen  reproduced  in 
marble  for  Captain  Falsen,  who  again  sold  it  to  the  wealthy  Mr.  Donner  of  Altona, 
who  wished  it  for  a  mausoleum  over  his  deceased  wife. 

As  in  the  previous  year  the  Anacreonteon  bass-relief :  Vulcan,  Venus,  Cupid 
and  Mars  evoked  a  larger  work  of  art,  so  also  Cupid  and  Psyche,  which  the  same  year 
occupied  Thorwaldsen’s  time,  induced  him  to  execute  a  statue  representing 

Isudtc  with  the  fta.  Tab. 

s  &  XLIX. 

(4  feet  3  in.) 

The  winged  Psyche  shows  herself  here  as  the  most  beautiful  image  of  female 
youthfulness.  On  her  way  to  Orcus,  the  lower  regions,  into  which  she  was  ordered  by 
Venus  to  descend,  Proserpine  delivered  to  her  the  well-known  box  that  contained  the 
highest  charms  of  beauty.  From  an  unconquerable  curiosity  Psyche  halts  in  the 
middle  of  the  way,  holding  the  box  between  her  hands,  undetermined  whether  or  not 
to  open  it. 

This  statue,  in  half  natural  size,  was  bought  by  a  Mr.  Hope  of  England,  a  brother 
of  Sir  Thomas  Hope,  who  occupies  so  conspicuous  a  place  in  the  history  of  our  artist. 

In  the  year  1811,  Thorwaldsen  executed  still  another  statue,  representing 

Tab.  L. 

(4  FEET  4  IN.) 

Cupid  or  Eros,  the  all-conquering  god,  is  here  by  plastic  art  portrayed  with  a 
wreath  of  roses,  leaning  on  a  stem  of  a  tree  over  which  the  lion  skin  of  Hercules 
hangs.  In  his  right  hand  he  holds  a  butterfly  by  its  wings,  and  while  looking  upon  it, 
he  takes  with  his  left  an  arrow  from  his  quiver,  in  order  to  torment  the  butterfly  with 
the  point  of  the  arrow.  The  lion  skin,  of  which  he  has  deprived  Hercules,  is 
emblematic  of  Cupid  as  the  vanquisher  of  bodily  strength,  while  the  threat  of 


38 


tormenting  the  captive  Psyche  with  the  point  of  the  arrow,  (the  name  Psyche 
signifying  both  a  butterfly  and  the  human  soul),  is  emblematic  of  him  both  as  the 
master  and  tormentor  of  the  soul. 

This  statue  was  sold  to  an  art-loving  gentleman  in  Courland.  The  composition 
of  this  ingenious  work  seems,  however,  never  fully  to  have  satisfied  Thorwaldsen,  for 
after  some  years  the  idea,  in  his  opinion,  too  feebly  expressed  here,  was  reproduced 
more  effectually  in  another  statue,  that  represents  Cupid  Triumphant. 

The  Royal  Academy  of  fine  arts  in  Berlin  honored  Thorwaldsen  this  year  by 
conferring  upon  him  a  diploma  of  August  28th,  1811,  which  made  him  an  ordinary 
member  of  this  celebrated  Academy. 

In  the  course  of  the  year  1811,  marble  was  discovered  in  Norway  which  was 
considered  fit  for  sculptural  works.  A  sample  was  sent  to  Rome,  and  Thorwaldsen 
declared  it  to  be  just  as  good  as  that  from  Carrara.  It  was  now  a  general  wish  in 
Denmark  that  Thorwaldsen  should  return  to  his  native  country,  to  execute  in  Northern 
marble,  immortal  works  for  the  embellishment  both  of  the  capital  and  of  the  Royal 
palace.  This  wish  was  communicated  to  him  in  December  1811,  in  an  autograph 
letter  from  His  Royal  Highness,  Prince  Christian,  afterwards  King  of  Denmark,  under 
the  title  of  Christian  YIII. 

The  reply  which  Thorwaldsen  gave  the  Prince,  breathed  the  warmest  patriotism 
and  a  deep  longing  for  his  home,  and  though  at  present  he  was  obliged  to  remain  in 
Rome,  on  account  of  the  many  works  of  art,  in  the  execution  of  which  he  had  engaged 
himself,  as  also  on  account  of  his  public  function  as  Professor  at  the  Academy  of  San 
Luca,  he  promised,  however,  to  take  pains  to  remove  all  impediments,  hoping,  as  he 
expressed  himself  in  his  answer  to  the  Prince,  in  the  summer  of  1813,  to  resalute  the 
Danish  champaign  country.  But  just  when  he  was  striving  to  remove  those  impediments, 
an  event  took  place  in  Rome  which  made  it  almost  impossible  for  him  to  leave  Italy. 

At  the  close  of  1811,  an  imperial  decree  directed  that  the  papal  residence  on 
Monte  Cavallo  should  be  fitted  up  in  the  most  costly  style  for  a  palace  for  Napoleon 
Bonaparte,  the  Emperor  of  France,  who  then  had  conquered  the  greatest  part  of  Italy. 
An  imperial  palace  on  the  Quirinal  Mount  appeared  to  the  Romans  as  a  glimpse  of 
their  ancient  splendor,  and  an  enthusiasm  arose  spreading  itself  from  the  greatest 
artist  to  the  plainest  mechanic. 

Meanwhile  Thorwaldsen  had  again  been  severely  ill,  and  as  he  would  not  deprive 
any  native  artist  of  an  occupation  of  which  he  stood  less  in  need  than  many  others,  he 
wished  his  name  suppressed  in  connection  with  the  works  of  art,  which  onvthis  occasion 
were  to  be  executed.  But  as  it  was  directed  to  have  the  palace  completed  in  May 
1812  1812,  the  architect  Stern,  who  superintended  the  whole  work,  felt  the  absolute 
necessity  of  employing  every  means  possible. 


39 


Then  it  should  happen  that  at  a  meeting  in  the  Academy  of  San  Luca  a  seat 
close  to  Thorwaldsen  was  assigned  to  Stern.  During  the  conversation  which  easily 
was  started  between  them,  Stern  proposed  to  Thorwaldsen  to  execute  a  cornice  or 
frieze  with  ornaments  of  sculpture,  for  one  of  the  apartments  of  the  Quirinal  palace, 
and  though  only  three  months  could  be  granted  him  to  complete  it  in  plaster, 
Thorwaldsen  made  up  his  mind  to  engage  himself  in  the  execution  of  this  enormous 
work.  It  is  a  composition  of  great  extent,  measuring  160  Roman  palms  (a  palm  is 
about  9  inches)  in  length  and  5  inches  in  height.  * 

Thorwaldsen  selected  for  his  subject,  doubtless  not  without  some  allusion  to 
Napoleon  Bonaparte,  the  greatest  triumpher  of  modern  history, 

(Rr  Imnnjitart  of  JMcxanto  into  ffAgltm. 

Within  three  months  of  the  date  of  the  commission,  in  the  month  of  June,  the 
frieze  in  plaster  was  fixed  up  in  one  of  the  halls  of  the  Quirinal  palace,  exciting  the 
greatest  admiration  of  all  who  saw  it.  This  great  work  christened  Thorwaldsen  by 
the  baptism  of  art ;  the  Italians  gave  him  the  name,  The  Patriarch  of  fine  Arts ,  and 
he  acquired  such  a  fame,  says  an  English  writer,  as  no  man  has  had  since  the  day  of 
creation. 

No  sooner  had  Denmark  heard  of  this  masterpiece  than  the  building  committee 
of  Copenhagen  ordered  in  December  1812,  a  copy  in  plaster  for  the  palace  of 
Christiansborg.  However,  this  did  not  seem  fully  to  have  satisfied  Thorwaldsen,  who 
wished  to  immortalize  his  work  in  marble.  However,  this  wish  was  soon  gratified,  for 
although  Denmark’s  financial  condition  did  at  that  time  not  very  well  justify  the  great 
expenditure  of  16,000  species,  which  was  the  sum  Thorwaldsen  asked  for  the  execu¬ 
tion  of  his  work  in  marble,  the  government,  finally  resolved,  in  October  1818,  to 
commission  him  to  execute  it  in  marble  for  the  sum  mentioned. 

Thorwaldsen  had  in  the  meantime  received  an  order  for  the  first  copy  in  marble 
from  Count  Sommariva.  When  he  had  bound  himself  to  execute  this  order,  he  con¬ 
cluded,  especially  as  the  space  marked  out  for  him  from  Denmark  required  an 
extension  of  the  bass-relief,  to  give  the  copy  for  -the  palace  of  Christiansborg  a 
peculiar  innovation  by  several  additions. 

The  first  copy  in  marble  destined  to  adorn  Sommariva’s  beautiful  villa  on  the 
Lago  di  Como,  was  instantly  commenced. 


*  Besides  Thorwaldsen,  the  following  artists  were  engaged :  Finelly  of  Carrara,  who  executed  Ceasar’s 
Triumph  in  a  frieze,  Alvarez,  a  Spaniard,  who  executed  another  frieze,  and  the  Roman  sculptor,  Massimiliano 
Labourbur,  who  in  a  frieze  represented  the  exploits  of  Lorenzo  of  Medicis. 


40 


But  soon  after,  Thorwaldsen  commenced  an  entire  new  execution  of  the  same 
frieze,  in  half  height,  which  lie  wished  to  give  the  highest  perfection  possible,  as  the 
first  one  was,  in  his  own  opinion,  executed  with  too  much  haste  and  expedition.  In 
this  minor  copy  he  remodeled  the  whole  frieze  and  made  all  the  alterations  which  his 
own  almost  infallible  eye  for  the  beautiful,  as  also  the  space  marked  out  for  him  in  the 
palace  of  Christiansborg,  impelled  him  to  make. 

When  Sommariva  had  been  informed  of  those  alterations,  which  Thorwaldsen 
intended  to  make  in  the  copy  ordered  for  the  royal  Danish  palace,  he  politely 
requested  the  artist  to  give  the  copy  which  he  had  ordered,  a  share  in  the  intended 
alterations.  Thorwaldsen  not  only  consented,  but  affixed  to  the  copy  destined  for  the 
Count  even  an  extra  appendix  of  great  artistic  value. 

Thus  we  have  four  different  executions  of  Alexander’s  Triumphal  Entry  into 
Babylon  : 

1.  The  Quirinal  Copy ,  which  in  a  certain  degree  can  only  be  considered  a  sketch 

2.  The  Sommariva  Copy ,  characteristic  by  the  extra  appendix  affixed  to  it. 

3.  The  Elaborate  Copy ,  enlarged  by  several  pieces,  executed  in  half  height,  and 
finally 

4.  The  Christiansborg  Copy ,  of  the  same  height  as  the  Quirinal  copy. 

The  description  of  Alexander’s  triumphal  entry  into  Babylon  given  by  the  Latin 
writer,  Curtius,  in  his  5th  book,  1st  chapter,  Thorwaldsen  has  strictly  followed  for 
his  grand  representation.  Thus  read  the  words  of  Curtius  : 

“  Babylonem  procedenti  Alexandra  Mazseus,  qui  ex  acie  in  urbem  earn  confugerat  cum  adultis  liberis 
supplex  occurrit.  Gratus  adventus  ejus  fuit  regi,  quippe  magni  operis  futura  erat  obsidio  tam  munitas  urbis 
Ad  hoc  vir  illustris,  et  manu  promptus,  famaque  etiam  proximo  proelio  celeber,  et  ceteros  ad  deditionem 
incitaturus  exemplo  suo  videbatur.  Igitur  hunc  quidem  benigne  cum  liberis  excepit  Alexander.  Magna 
pars  Babyloniorum  constiterat  in  muris,  avida  cognoscendi  novum  regem  ;  plures  obviam  egressi  sunt,  inter 
quos  Bagopbanes,  arcis  et  regia:;  pecunice  custos,  ne  studio  a  Maza:;o  vinceretur,  totum  iter  floribus  coronisque 
constraverat,  argenteis  altaribus  utroque  latere  dispositis,  qua  non  thure  modo,  sed  omnibus  odoribus 
cumulaverat.  Eum  dona  sequebantur  greges  pecornm  equorumque,  leones  quoque  et  pardales  caveis 
proferebantur,  Magi  deinde  suo  more  patrium  carmen  canentes.  Post  hos  Chaldsei  Babyloniorumque  non 
vates  modo,  sed  etiam  artifices  cum  fidibus  sui  generis  ibant.  Equites  deinde  Babylonii  sequebantur 
ornatissimi.  Bex  armatis  stipatus  oppidanorum  turbam  post  ultimos  pedites  ire  jussit.  Ipse  cum  curru 
urbem  ac  deinde  regiam  intravit.” 

We  subjoin  an  English  translation  of  the  Latin  text : 

“  As  Alexander  was  proceeding  towards  Babylon,  Mazgeus  who  had  fled  fhither 
after  the  battle,  came  with  his  adult  offspring,  humbly  supplicating,  and  tendered  the 
surrender  of  the  city  and  of  himself.  His  arrival  was  agreeable  to  the  King,  for  the 
siege  of  a  city  so  strongly  fortified,  would  be  a  tedious  operation  ;  besides  he  was  a 


41 


celebrated  and  brave  man,  and  had  distinguished  himself  in  the  recent  action,  and  b7 
his  example  he  would  probably  induce  the  others  to  surrender.  Alexander  received, 
therefore,  both  him  and  his  children  with  kindness.  Great  many  Babylonians  had 
placed  themselves  on  the  walls,  eager  of  beholding  the  new  King,  and  a  greater  number 
had  gone  out  to  meet  him,  amongst  whom  was  Bagophanes,  custodian  of  the  castle 
and  of  the  royal  treasury.  In  order  not  to  be  excelled  in  courtesy  by  Mazceus,  he  had 
strewed  the  whole  road  with  flowers  and  wreaths,  and  had  on  both  sides  placed  silver 
altars,  which  he  had  loaded  not  only  with  frankincense,  but  with  all  kinds  of  odorous 
spices.  For  gifts  he  brought  with  him  cattle  and  horses  ;  and  lions  and  she-panthers 
were  taken  out  of  their  cages.  Then  the  Magi  (Persian  priests)  came  singing, 
according  to  their  custom,  patriotic  songs.  After  them  the  Chaldeans  came,  and  not 
only  the  Babylonian  prophets,  but  also  musicians,  each  with  his  own  instrument 
proceeded  in  solemn  procession.  Finally  the  Babylonian  cavalry  appeared,  costly 
attired.  The  King,  surrounded  by  his  soldiers,  commanded  the  multitude  of  the 
inhabitants  to  proceed  in  rear  of  the  infantry.  In  a  chariot  he  entered  the  city  and 
took  up  his  residence  in  the  royal  palace.” 

We  now  proceed  to  give  an  explanatory  description  of  the  engravings  pertaining 
to  this  sublime  and  imposing  work  of  art. 

t  Tab. 

LI. 

The  frieze  begins  with  a  palm,  the  symbol  of  peace  and  victory,  which  over¬ 
shadows  a  market  place  at  the  river  side.  The  caravan  that  passes  by,  had  called  off 
the  laborers,  and  the  little  camel-driver,  who  had  come  with  his  beast  of  burden  to 
receive  the  disembarked  commodities,  must  wait.  Meanwhile  a  boy  has  climbed  up  to 
the  neck  of  the  camel,  whence  he  crawls  up  on  the  bunch,  better  to  see  the  caravan. 

Close  by  the  camel,  a  youth  and  a  little  boy  are  standing,  both  of  them  directing  their 
attention  to  the  same  obiect 

II.  Tab. 

LIL 

Here  the  frieze  commences  with  a  group  of  palms,  one  of  which  torn  up  by  the 
roots,  reminds  of  the  devastating  war.  A  fisherman  is  sitting  undisturbed  at  the 
river  side,  taking  in  the  draught,  which  he  has  Caught  by  the  aid  of  his  line.  He 
observes  nothing  yet,  but  the  sharp-hearing  dog  turns  himself  and  growls  in  a  low 
key,  when  hearing  the  bustle  of  the  passing  caravan. 

It  was  told  in  Rome  that  when  Thorwaldsen  shaped  the  head  of  the  fisherman, 
he  thought  of  the  portrait  of  Napoleon,  who  then  formed  a  striking  temporal  contra¬ 
distinction  to  the  spiritual  fisherman,  the  Apostle  St.  Peter,  whose  position  as  bishop 
of  the  church,  Napoleon,  though  in  a  very  different  sense,  now  occupied.  Notwith- 


42 


standing  such  a  practical  joke  might  resemble  Thorwaldsen’s  sometimes  sarcastic 
mood,  we  can  by  no  means  warrant  the  truth  of  this  anecdote. 


Tab, 

LIU 


III. 


A  Persian  merchant  has,  from  fear  of  the  approaching  army,  embarked  his  costly 
merchandise,  to  flee  to  the  other  side  of  the  river.  He  has  thrown  his  cloak  over  the 
bales,  and  when  the  boatswain  has  thrust  the  vessel  from  the  shore,  he  vents  his 
grevous  heart  by  telling  the  old  indolent  rover  the  danger  in  which  his  merchandise 
has  been. 


Tab. 

LIY» 


IY. 


The  old  Euphrates,  wreathed  with  aquatic  plants,  is  sitting  here,  leaning  upon  the 
inexhaustible  urn.  The  oar,  which  he  holds  in  his  right  hand,  signifies  the  naviga¬ 
bleness  of  the  river,  and  the  ears,  which  he  holds  in  his  left,  are  emblematic  of  the 
fertility  of  the  country.  Behind,  the  Bulustower  reminds  of  Babylon. 

Tab- 

LY.  &LYL  y 

(a.  &  b. ) 

Below  the  broad  walls  of  Babylon,  behind  which  the  palms  and  the  cypresses 
remind  us  of  the  hanging  gardens,  and  where  the  censers  promise  the  victorious  King 
submission  and  homage,  a  shepherd’s  boy  drives  his  flock  of  sheep  from  the  field. 
The  varying  group  of  rams  and  sheep  form  a  beautiful  contra- distinction  to  the  agitated 
life  in  the  other  groups  of  the  frieze.  On  the  walls  several  of  the  inhabitants  have 
seated  themselves,  to  behold  the  processional  entry  of  the  great  King.  At  the  gate  of 
the  city  two  soldiers  on  duty  are  seen,  one  of  whom  leans  despairingly  on  his  spear. 
Close  by  the  shepherd,  his  wife  and  two  children  have  taken  place,  the  elder  of  which 
caresses  the  passing  flock  of  sheep. 

These  episodes,  constituting  the  beginning  of  the  bass-relief,  characterize  the  place 
where  the  scene  of  action  is.  The  following  division  represents  the  Babylonians,  who 
are  marching  out  of  the  gate. 

The  hindmost  part  of  the  Babylonians,  who  are  marching  out,  is  portrayed  by 


T?b. 

LYII. 


YI. 


three  Chaldean  astrologers,  who  seem  to  prepare  themselves  for  a  flattering  notification 
to  Alexander  of  his  future  greatness,  which  they  fortell  by  the  aspects  and  situation 
of  the  stars.  The  preceding  one  holds  in  his  left  hand  the  celestial  globe,  and  while 
pointing  to  a  constellation,  he  turns  and  consults  the  other,  who  gives  his  opinion. 
The  third  follows  after,  meditating  on  the  predictions  by  which  the  conqueror  is  to  be 
flattered  and  reconciled. 


43 

VII. 

In  front  of  these  is  seen  the  hindmost  part  of  those  presents  which,  according  to 
Curtius,  are  given  to  Alexander.  A  Persian  who  bears  a  staff  on  his  shoulder,  leads 
a  lion.  At  his  side  a  boy  walks  with  a  tiger,  and  farthest  behind  a  third  with  a  horse, 
that  becomes  untractable  at  the  stir  in  the  preceding  group 

VIII. 

of  three  horses,  with  which  horse-breeding  Persia  presents  her  mighty  conqueror. 
At  the  approach  of  Bucephalus  (Alexander’s  war  horse)  and  of  the  Macedonian 
cavalry,  the  hindmost  stallion  rears.  The  leader  of  the  preceding  horse  threatens  to 
whip  him.  Frightened,  he  draws  his  ears  back  and  rears  so  ungovernably  that  his 
leader  scarcely  can  hold  him  by  the  curb. 

IX 

# 

The  musicians  mentioned  by  Curtius,  with  their  different  instruments  are  next 
represented.  Five  fiddlers  proceed  in  quick  and  gay  succession.  The  three  foremost 
constitute  the  second  addition,  with  which  Thorwaldsen  has  enlarged  the  copy  for  the 
palace  of  Christiansborg.  In  the  Quirinal  copy,  and  in  that  which  was  executed  for 
Sommariva,  only  the  two  hindmost  are  seen. 

X. 

The  next  group  represents  the  treasurer,  Bagophanes,  who,  not  to  be  inferior  in 

courtesy  to  Mazseus,  had  hastened  out  in  the  middle  of  the  road  where  he  erects  an 

1 

altar  with  precious  incense.  The  two  servants  who  have  borne  the  heavy  altar,  are 
busy  with  arranging  a  place  for  it.  Bagophanes  is  present  himself  to  give  instructions. 
At  his  side  a  boy  stands  with  the  costly  incense  box.  Behind  is  the  burning  censer 
which  is  to  be  placed  on  the  altar  by  a  man,  whose  eyes  betray  the  haste  with  which 
the  whole  ceremony  is  performed.  Bagophanes  has  also  ordained 

XI. 

three  dancing  Persian  maids  to  strew  flowers  and  wreaths  on  the  road.  A  little  boy 
bears  on  his  head  a  large  basket  replete  with  the  fragrant  ingredients. 

XII. 

Mazoeus,  Darius  Codomannus’  field  marshal,  who  after  the  battle  at  Arbela 
(331  bef.  Chr.)  had  fled  to  Babylon,  is  next  represented,  accompanied  by  two  armor- 
bearers.  To  move  the  heart  of  the  conqueror  to  clemency  he  goes  out  with  his  five 
sons  to  meet  Alexander.  The  three  eldest  step  fearlessly  forth  and  in  an  entreating 


Tab. 

LVIII. 


Tab. 

LIX. 


Tab, 

LX. 


Tab. 

LXI. 


Tab. 

LXII, 


Tab. 

LXIII. 


44 


Tab. 

LXIV. 


Tab. 

LXV. 


Tab. 

LXYI. 


Tab. 

LXVII. 


manner  stretch  out  their  hands,  but  the  fourth  betraying  some  fear,  clings  to  the 
eldest  brother,  while  his  father  with  the  right  hand  laid  on  his  shoulder  pushes  him 
forward.  With  the  left  hand  he  leads  the  youngest,  who  less  timid  strives  to  get  a 
place  amongst  his  elder  brothers. 

XIII. 

The  procession  of  the  supplicating  Babylonians  is  led  by  Pax,  the  winged  goddess 
of  peace,  who  Avith  the  cornucopia;  in  her  right  arm,  raises  aloft  an  olive  branch,  thus 
to  show  the  conqueror  the  usual  sign  of  the  submission  of  the  conquered  nation. 

XIV. 

Victoria,  the  goddess  of  conquests,  hovering  with  expanded  wings  and  inclining  a 
little  forward,  stands  on  the  chariot  at  the  side  of  the  hero,  driving  the  fleet  and 
nimble-footed  four-span.  Alexander  attired  in  a  splendid  armor  holds  himself  with 
the  left  hand  by  the  triumphal  car,  and  leans  with  the  right  on  his  staff,  the  ensign  of 
authority,  Avhile  his  triumphant  eye  is  lifted  towards  the  skies 

In  the  first  copies  of  the  frieze,  this  piece  was  executed  in  a  manner  totally 
different. 

Both  Victoria  and  the  horses  were  larger  in  proportion  to  the  hero.  The  motion 
in  the  heads  and  legs  of  the  horses  was  less  varied  ;  their  tails  were  more  bushy  ;  the 
foremost  horse  Avas  adorned  with  a  girth,  but  the  posture  of  the  horses  in  regard  to 
the  chariot  Avas  not  sufficiently  free  and  easy.  The  chariot  was  loAver  and  narrower. 
Victoria  leaned  Avith  the  left  hand  upon  the  chariot,  while  with  the  right  she  holds  the 
reins.  Her  wings  did  not  clearly  indicate  the  speedy  flight,  and  there  was  less  motion 
in  her  attitude.  But  especially  Alexander  himself  did  not  satisfy  Thoravaldsen,  and 
even  in  the  remodeling  of  the  great  King,  he  seems  not  to  have  been  entirely 
successful  in  removing  the  theatrical  attitude  which  he  had  given  him.  In  the  first 
executions,  Alexander  stood  free  and  easy  on  the  chariot,  only  supporting  himself  by 
his  long  spear  and  by  his  left  hand  akimbo,  Avhile  his  head  in  whose  position  Tiioravald- 
sen,  no  doubt,  intended  to  represent  the  Avell-known  wryness  ascribed  to  Alexander, 
Avas  held  sidewise. 


XV. 

Next  to  Alexander  his  armor-bearers  follow.  One  in  Phrygian  costume  Avears 
over  his  shoulder  tAvo  javelins  and  on  the  left  arm  a  circular  shield,  on  which  the  image 
of  a  lion  is  engraved.  The  other  Avhose  head  and  shoulders  are  covered  with  a  lion 
skin  tied  together  over  his  breast,  Avears  on  his  back  a  quiver,  and  carries  in  his  right 
hand  a  bow.  While  proceeding,  he  turns  his  head  back  to  Avatch  the  spirited 


45 


Bucephalus,  who  too  proud  to  he  managed  by  others  than  Alexander  himself,  gives 
his  leader  a  great  deal  of  difficulty,  while  the  hero  himself  is  about  mounting  the 
triumphal  car.  One  of  the  armor-bearers,  whose  flying  mantle  betrays  the  agitation 
which  the  ungovernable  Bucephalus  had  produced,  has  in  order  better  to  control  him, 
laid  his  arm  over  the  neck  of  the  charger.  Seeking  to  restrain  him  with  the  curb,  he 
forces  back  the  animal’s  head,  and  with  juvenile  strength  the  other  leader  hastens  to 
help  him  by  taking  hold  of  the  mane. 

XYI. 

Alexander’s  retinue  of  horsemen  is  headed  by  Hephsestion,  his  dearly  beloved 
friend.  Then  his  two  generals  Parmenio  and  Amyntas  follow.  Parmenio,  after 
stopping  the  horse,  turns  himself  in  the  saddle  and  with  a  gesture  of  his  arm 
proclaims  an  order. 


XVII. 

A  youthful  warrior  of  the  light  horse  turns  his  charger  aside,  immediately  to  obey 
the  order. 


XVIII. 

Then  a  division  of  the  cavalry  follows.  In  the  most  beautiful  variety  and 
the  most  animated  stir,  eleven  hundred  horsemen  with  short  and  long  weapons 
are  here  represented  under  different  motives.  The  foremost,  who  has  lost  his 
bridle,  bends  himself  over  the  neck  of  the  horse,  again  to  catch  it.  The  last  one, 
who  is  engaged  in  a  lively  conversation  with  the  infantry  that  follows  after, 
produces,  by  turning  himself,  a  beautiful  and  natural  combination  between  this  and 
the  next  group. 

The  five  first  horsemen  constitute  a  division  which  is  not  given  in  the  Quirinal 
copy.  It  was  composed  only  for  the  palace  of  Christiansborg,  but  when  Sommariva 
had  seen  it,  he  requested  Thorwaldsen  to  adorn  his  copy  also  with  this  addition. 

XIX. 

Five  foot  soldiers  rejoicing  in  their  victory  are  represented,  the  three  foremost  of 
whom  are  engaged  in  conversation  with  the  horseman  riding  in  advance. 

XX. 

Xow  the  representation  of  the  rich  booty  follows.  An  old  warrior  leads  an 
elephant,  with  his  arm  on  the  animal’s  head.  Amongst  the  Persian  weapons,  which 
almost  conceal  the  elephant,  a  richly  ornamented  and  costly  chest  is  observed,  the  only 


Tab. 

LXVIII.  &  LXIX. 


Tab. 

LXX. 


Tab. 

LXXI.  &  LXXII. 
&  Lxxni. 


Tab, 

LXXIII. 


Tab. 

LXX1V. 


46 


Tab, 

LXXV. 


Tab, 

LXXYI. 


portion  of  the  booty  which  Alexander  reserved  for  himself,  therein  to  keep  the 
rhapsodies  of  Homer,  which  he  always  carried  with  him.  At  the  side  of  the  elephant 
.a  captive  Persian  chief  follows,  his  eyes  cast  to  the  ground.  A  young  Greek  soldier, 
armed  with  a  spear,  walks  at  his  side  to  guard  him. 

XXI. 

In  front  of  those,  a  warrior  on  horseback  is  seen,  who  strives  to  pass  by  the 
infantry,  again  to  take  his  place  among  the  horsemen.  In  conclusion  Tiiorwaldsen 
himself  follows.  He  has  taken  his  position  beneath  a  palm,  the  symbol  of  peace  and 
victory,  and  a  young  Greek  warrior  shows  him  the  passing  military  procession,  the 
picture  of  which  he  will  pres°nt  to  the  world. 

Instead  of  the  group  last  mentioned  Thorwaldsen  has,  out  of  gratitude  to  Count 
Sommariva,  who  was  the  very  first  who  gave  him  an  opportunity  to  execute  this  grand 
work  in  marble,  concluded  the  noble  Count’s  copy  with  a  bass-relief  that  gives  it  a 
distinctive  mark.  It  represents  Thorwaldsen  at  the  very  moment  when  he  shows 
Sommariva  the  triumphal  entry  of  Alexander  into  Babylon,  and  delivers  to  him  the 
whole  work  completed.  A  young  warrior,  armed  with  spear  and  shield,  follows  the 
procession,  and  is  perhaps,  though  we  are  not  certain,  the  portrait  of  Sommariva 
himself. 

Besides  those  four  executions  of  this  celebrated  frieze,  a  copy  was  executed  for 
the  Duke  of  Leuchtenberg,  to  embellish  his  palace  in  Munich.  This  was,  however, 
according  to  Thorwaldsen’s  own  statement,  a  copy  in  plaster  of  the  Quirinal  copy. 
Another  cast  in  plaster  was  sent  to  England. 

From  the  copy  executed  in  marble  and  set  apart  for  the  great  Museum  of 
Copenhagen,  Thorwaldsen  caused  molds  to  be  made,  to  enable  him  to  execute  copies 
in  terra  cotta,  a  sort  of  clay  which  is  used  for  statues,  architectural  decorations,  figures, 
vases  and  the  like. 

The  whole  frieze,  with  all  its  most  minute  details,  has  been  excellently  engraved  in 
steel  by  Samuel  Amsler  of  Munich. 

This  world-renowned  work  of  Thorwaldsen  has,  like  most  of  his  works,  met 
with  an  almost  unconditional  eulogy.  To  enumerate  all  those  commendations  would 
only  occasion  tiresome  repetitions,  and  we  shall,  therefore,  confine  ourselves  to  quoting 
the  words  of  the  poet  Atterbom :  “In  truth,”  he  says,  “when  Xapoleon,  for  whose 
sake  this  grand  work  was  executed  to  beautify  the  Quirinal  palace,  omitted  to  take 
his  intended  journey  to  the  ‘Eternal  City,’  he  lost  at  the  same  time  the  opportunity 
of  beholding  the  only  work  of  real  aesthetic  beauty  which  ever  has  been  produced 
in  his  honor.” 

Before  leaving  the  year  1812,  when  the  Procession  of  Alexander  occupied  Thor- 


47 


waldsen’s  time,  and  even  busied  him  for  the  next  twenty  years,  we  must,  not  to  omit 
any  work  from  his  hand,  mention  a  small  bass-relief  representing 

Victoria  (Etwuittg  a  ..fallen  IWarnne.  Lz£vu. 

This  bass-relief,  which  probably  was  composed  to  adorn  some  tomb,  had,  says 
Thorwaldsen  himself,  never  any  special  destination,  and  was,  therefore,  never 
executed  in  marble.  Only  one  single  copy  in  plaster  stood  in  his  studio. 

In  “  Morgenblatt,”  1813,  Ho.  68,  p.  252,  a  small  bass-relief  of  Thorwaldsen  is  1813 
mentioned,  representing  a  mother  pressing  her  child  affectionately  to  her  bosom,  whilst 
another  woman  brings  flowers,  after  which  the  little  one  stretches  its  hand.  Although 
this  bass-relief  cannot,  properly  speaking,  be  numbered  among  Thorwaldsen’s  own 
inventions,  we  cannot  forbear  mentioning  it.  Its  existence,  however,  it  owes  to  his 
politeness.  The  sketch  was  made  by  the  Princess  Dietrichstein,  who  in  1812  asked 
Thorwaldsen  to  execute  it. 

On  February  12th,  1813,  Thorwaldsen  was  made  a  member  of  the  Imperial 
Royal  Austrian  Academy  of  fine  arts. 

Towards  the  end  of  this  year,  while  yet  the  frieze  on  Monte  Cavallo  was  on  the 
lips  of  almost  every  one  in  Rome,  Thorwaldsen  received  an  order  from  the  remote 
Poland  for  a  work  of  art,  which,  as  well  on  account  of  its  destination  as  of  its 
subsequent  fate,  has  a  close  connection  with  “his  triumphal  entry  of  Alexander.” 

While  the  triumphal  processions  of  Cesar  and  Alexander  were  about  being  set 
up  in  Rome  in  honor  of  the  modern  Cesar,  Napoleon  Bonaparte,  who  had  also 
crossed  the  Rubicon  and  cut  so  many  Gordian  knots,  the  unfortunate  Poland  was 
looking  out  with  hope  for  the  assistance  of  the  victorious  French  Emperor. 

After  the  diet  of  the  General-Confederation  at  Warsaw,  on  June  26th,  1812,  a 
deputation  of  ten  Count  Palatines  expressed  to  Napoleon,  in  the  name  of  their  nation, 
the  earnest  and  heart-deep  wish  of  the  restoration  of  Poland  to  a  kingdom.  Although 
the  answer  which  the  Emperor  gave,  was  not  entirely  satisfactory,  his  words,  however, 
were  momentous  enough  to  be  deemed  worthy  of  being  engraved  in  a  brass-plate, 
which  was  to  be  kept  for  their  perpetual  remembrance,  and  Thorwaldsen  was 
accordingly  engaged  to  execute 

Tab 

(Two  tfavnatitlrs,  txxv'm, 

Sr  LXXIX. 

who  should  bear  the  architrave  beneath  which  the  brass-plate  was  to  be  inserted. 

This  architectonic  adornment  has,  according  to  the  Latin  writer,  Vitruvius, 
originated  with  the  following  incident.  When  the  inhabitants  of  Caryse,  a  village  of 
Laconia,  in  Peloponnesus,  had  sided  with  the  Persians  against  the  Greeks,  Caryae  was, 


48 


after  the  termination  of  the  Persian  war,  besieged  and  destroyed.  All  the  men  were 
slam,  and  the  women  enslaved.  In  regard  to  these  two  Caryatides,  Thorwaldsen 
seems  to  have  followed  Yitruvius,  inasmuch  as  the  description  of  this  Latin  writer  not 
only  permits,  but  even  approves  that  they  are  represented  wearing  a  different  costume, 
according  to  their  different  grade  in  society.  One  wearing  a  kid  skin  over  her  gown, 
seems  thereby  to  be  characterized  as  pertaining  to  the  lower  order,  while  the  other 
being  draped  with  a  stola,  to  the  higher  grade  of  society. 

The  name  Caryatis  is  an  epithet  of  Diana  from  Caryce,  where  she  had  a  temple, 
and  these  statues  are,  therefore,  more  generally  believed  to  be  the  images  of  the 
festal  danceresses  of  the  Caryatic  Diana ;  but  in  architecture,  Caryatides  are  female 
figures  emjdoyed  as  columns  for  support. 

The  first  of  these  two  statues  was  completed  in  the  spring  of  1813,  when 
Thorwaldsen  suddenly  was  taken  ill  and  had  to  go  to  Leghorn  to  recover.  He 
returned  to  Rome  in  autumn,  and  executed  then  the  second  statue. 

But  before  they  had  been  executed  in  marble,  the  situation  of  all  Europe,  and 
consequently  also  of  Poland,  had  considerably  changed.  There  was  no  longer  any 
reason  for  this  nation  to  erect  a  monument  in  honor  of  a  hope,  which  had  been  so 
sadly  disappointed,  and  the  two  Caryatides  remained,  therefore,  in  Thorwaldsen’s 
studio  till  the  year  1818,  when  the  Danish  government  bought  them.  In  1826,  they 
arrived  in  Copenhagen,  and  were  placed  at  the  Royal  throne  in  the  palace  of 
Christiansborg. 


Thorwaldsen’s  Pedigree. — Ilis  ancestors  can  be  traced  in  direct  line  up  to  the 
14th  century.  By  the  way  of  side-lines  his  genealogy  ascends  to  the  Danish  king, 
Harold  Hildetand,  (A.  D.  700),  and  to  the  pompous  Norwegian  chief  Olaf  Paa, 
of  whose  large  collection  of  sculptural  works  the  old  Sagas  frequently  speak.  A 
minute  and  exact  pedigree  of  Thorwaldsen  has  been  compiled  by  the  learned  author 
of  Icelandic  annals,  John  Espolin,  provincial  judge  of  Iceland. 

Those  who  may  perhaps  doubt  the  possibility  of  tracing  up  to  the  remotest 
antiquity  the  extraction  of  an  artist,  who  was  born  in  the  humblest  walks  of  life,  we 
must  ask  to  bear  in  mind,  that  Iceland  was  the  repository  for  the  antiquities, 
mythology  and  history  of  the  three  Northern  kingdoms,  as  also  for  the  genealogy  of 
their  progenitors,  and  that  the  genealogical  tables  in  the  Icelandic  Sagas  often  ascend 
to  the  fabulous  age,  and  gain  in  credibility  according  as  they  draw  near  to  the  8th 
century,  when  this  remarkable  island  began  to  be  colonized  by  the  Norwegians. 


49 


From  this  period  the  genealogical  tables  are  in  a  great  measure  authentic,  and  about 
with  this  period  the  pedigree  of  Thorwaldsen  begins 

Though  this  pedigree  by  no  means  magnifies  our  illustrious  artist,  who  has  so 
greatly  magnified  himself  by  his  legacy  of  the  greatest  and  sublimest  works  of  art 
ever  produced,  we  mention,  however,  its  existence  for  the  sake  of  curiosity.  Hence 
we  also  learn  that  Thorwaldsen  had  a  brother  by  the  name  of  Are,  who  learned  the 
goldsmith-trade  in  Copenhagen,  but  died  very  young. 


PART  FIRST. 


Tab. 

The  Bust  oe  Thorvaldsen, . I. 

On  the  title  page  :  Thorvaldsen’s  Medal 
by  Brandt.  On  the  reverse,  a  genio 
LUMEN, . II. 

A  Resting  Cupid,  . HI. 

Heliodorus  Expelled  from  the  Temple,  .  IV. 

Priam  and  Achilles, . V. 

Hercules  and  Omphale, . VI. 

Peter  Heals  a  Lame  Man, . YH. 

Thorvaldsen’s  Portrait  in  his  24th  year,  VHI. 

Terpsichore,  . . IX. 

Euterpe, .  ...  X. 

Tvo  Figures  named  Muses,  though  as 


such  but  little  characterized,  XI.  &  XH. 


Numa  and  Egeria, . Xin. 

Bacchus  and  Ariadne, . XIV. 


Melpomene,  . XV 

Jason, . XVI. 

Achilles  and  Briseis, . XVII 

The  Dance  of  the  Muses  on  Helicon,  .  XVIH. 
Cupid  and  Psyche,  (a  group)  ....  XIX. 

Bacchus,  .  .  XX. 

Ganymede, . XXI. 

Apollo, . XXII. 

Venus  vitii  the  Apple, . XXHI. 

j  The  Baptism  of  Christ,  .  .  .  XXIV. 


^4  I 

g  h  Mary  vith  Jesus,  and  John,  .  .  XXV. 

s  £  . 

£  ft,  Christ  Blessing  the  Children,  .  XXVI. 
j  Three  Hovering  Angels,  .  .  XXVH. 


Tali 

Jupiter,  Minerva,  Nemesis,  Oceanus  and 


the  Earth, . XXVIII. 

Minerva  and  Prometheus,  ....  XXIX. 

Hercules  and  Hebe, . XXX. 

Jupiter  and  Nemesis, . XXXI. 

Aesculapius  and  Hygeia, . XXXIL 

The  Pacific  Mars, . XXXIII. 

Adonis,  . XXXIV. 

A  Genio  Lumen,  . XXXV. 

Hector,  Paris  and  Helena,  ....  XXXVI. 

Cupid,  the  Lion  Tamer, . XXXVII. 

The  Birth  of  Aphrodite,  .  .  .  XXXV 1H. 

Cupid  Wounded  by  the  Bee,  .  .  .  XXXIX. 

Mercury,  Bacchus  and  Ino, . XL 

Cupid  and  Bacchus, .  XLI. 

Caritas,  (Charity) . XLII. 

Cupid  and  Psyche,  (bass-relief)  .  .  XLIH. 

Vulcan,  Venus,  Cupid  and  Mars,  .  .  XLIV. 

Mars  and  Cupid,  .  XLV. 

Summer, . XLVI. 

Harvest, . XLVII. 

Mausoleum  over  Augusta  Boiimer,  .  XL VIII. 

Psyche  vitii  the  Box, . XLIX. 

Cupid,  ' .  L 

Alexander'^  Triumphal  Entry  into 

Babylon, . LI.— LXXVI. 


Victoria  Crowning  a  Fallen  Warrior,  LXXVII. 
Two  Caryatides,  .  .  .  LXXVIII.  &  LXXIX. 


7 


* 


That  which  at  present  mainly  occupies  my  time,  is  first,  a  naked  figure  in  natural 
size,  representing  Jason ,  who  is  about  returning  to  the  ship  after  having  seized  upon 
the  Golden  Jleece,  which  he  wears  on  the  left  arm,  holding  a  spear  in  the  right  hand  ; 
and  then  a  copy  in  marble  after  Raphael’s  bust  in  the  Rotunda.  Both  of  them  will 
after  a  short  time  be  completed,  and  I  intend  to  send  them  to  the  Academy  instead 
of  those  afore-mentioned.  I  flatter  myself  with  the  hope,  that  these  works  will  bear 
witness  to  the  progress  which  I  gradually  make  in  my  art,  which  daily  becomes  dearer 
to  me,  although  at  the  same  time  I  must  confess  that  I  fully  comprehend  how  far  I 
still  am  from  the  great  perfection  which  is  exhibited  in  the  master  pieces,  I  constantly 
have  before  my  eyes.  Meanwhile  recommending  myself  to  the  continual  favor  of  the 
Academy,  I  remain,  with  deep  respect, 


B.  Thorwaldsen. 


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